Girl survived on ketchup, dried pasta while mom in jail
MSN
Oct. 1 — A 2-year-old girl survived 19 days alone after her mother, at left, was arrested and allegedly failed to tell police about her child. NBC's Jeannie Ohm reports.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Oct. 1 — A 2-year-old girl left home alone for 2½ weeks while her mother was in jail has been released from the hospital after being treated for malnutrition and dehydration, officials said Wednesday.
THE CHILD, who survived by eating ketchup, mustard and dried pasta, was released late Tuesday from Wolfson Children's Hospital to the custody of the state Department of Children & Families.
"The only thing I can tell you is that she is in good condition," hospital spokesman David Foreman said.
The state agency was reviewing the case to determine where the child should be placed.
"The child is safe in our care," said Patricia Mallon, a DCF district manager. "Our every effort is to ensure her safety and well-being."
The little girl, whose name was not released, had been left alone since her mother, Dakeysha Telita Lee, was jailed Sept. 10 for aggravated assault and petty theft, police said. The mother was charged Monday with child abuse, and was being held Tuesday on $20,000 bond.
The child's father, Ogden Lee, who is separated from the 22-year-old mother, said he had been trying to contact her for two weeks and did not learn until Sunday night that she was in jail.
When a manager let him into the apartment, the youngster was lying nude in a baby's bathtub, covered with a towel and was watching a TV cartoon channel. She was filthy and covered with dry ketchup and jelly, Sheriff John Rutherford said Tuesday.
"She grabbed me and wouldn't let go of me," Lee said. "It is really a miracle how good a shape my daughter is in. I don't know how she did it."
Lee, 33, said the girl had dragged the food, toys and other things into her mother’s bedroom, where he found her.
Leaford James, who lives across a breezeway from Dakeysha Lee's apartment, said he had heard crying from the apartment "but nothing to get suspicious about."
Dakeysha Lee was represented by the Public Defender's Office on the original charges, but it had not been assigned the child abuse case. Her appointed attorney was not immediately available for comment.
2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Toddler left alone for 2 weeks!!!!
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TexasStooge
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southerngale
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"mother" who left toddler
alone should be under the jail for the rest of her life. What's going on with so-called parents abusing their little ones?
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Miss Mary
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FreakyWxChick
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My intuition tells me that this woman was not at home when she was arrested. I figure she had a bench warrant and was either at work (doubtful HA!) or maybe pulled over for a traffic stop. Frightened she would get into more trouble, she did not report her daughter as being home alone. Any mother who would leave her home with a two year old unattended deserves to be fed mustard, ketchup, and dry pasta for the rest of her life!
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Lake Effect1
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My understanding they are going to charge her with child endangerment. IMO that women should be charged with premeditated murder!! I would bet my last dollar that baby was left alone before. Maybe they should have a special award night especially for parents like her....They could call it the," all about me reality show''... SOME PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REPRODUCE!!!
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