Parents, uncle arrested after death of Florida toddler allegedly weighing 10 pounds

Three folks have been arrested after the loss of life of a 34-month-old woman who weighed lower than 10 kilos, together with the toddler’s dad and mom.

Her dad and mom, Regis Johnson, 57, and Arhonda Tillman, 35, have been arrested Thursday and are being held with out bond on little one abuse costs, CBS Miami reported. Her uncle, Frank Robinson, 64, who lived in the identical home, was additionally arrested on costs of negligent little one abuse and failure to report little one abuse, in keeping with the station.

Polk County, Florida, sheriff’s deputies discovered the kid useless in an inflatable pool used as a playpen on Tuesday, in keeping with a launch from the sheriff’s workplace. The woman’s father had referred to as authorities after he discovered her “chilly to the contact and never respiration,” the sheriff’s division mentioned.

Florida’s Division of Youngsters and Households had investigated the household for medical neglect beginning in 2019 as a result of the kid had been shedding weight and her dad and mom weren’t following up together with her physician, authorities mentioned, however the investigation had been closed when the kid gained weight. The woman’s pediatrician advised investigators her final go to had been in January of 2020, and the workplace had tried to observe up together with her dad and mom, authorities mentioned.

Each the kid’s father and mom advised investigators they’d tried to feed the woman. In accordance with the sheriff’s workplace, Johnson advised detectives the woman hadn’t wished to eat over the previous two days, solely taking a couple of bites when he tried to feed her. Tillman mentioned in an interview with detectives she tried to feed the kid a turkey sandwich Monday night time earlier than mattress, however the sufferer didn’t need to eat, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.

Johnson additionally advised detectives that he knew his daughter was “not gaining weight and never growing as regular,” and that he “knew the sufferer was shedding weight and was not thriving” and nonetheless didn’t search medical consideration, authorities mentioned. 

Tillman advised detectives there was a priority the kid might have had cystic fibrosis. An post-mortem carried out Wednesday confirmed there was no meals within the kid’s abdomen and she or he suffered from long-term hunger.

Jail information didn’t listing an lawyer for Johnson, Tillman or Robinson, CBS Miami reported.

“That is egregious and will by no means have occurred,” mentioned Sheriff Grady Judd on Thursday, noting there are assets for fogeys who are not looking for their little one. “Due to the actions of those dad and mom, this little woman won’t ever have the chance to develop up.”