TX 12-year-old Texas girl dies after parents used smoothies to treat life-threatening injuries

[Maat99]

I’m sorry but I don’t believe this girl did anything to herself. The look on that woman’s face in her mugshot says it all IMO.

 

[ilovewings]

I have to say there are some people that really should not have children. These two represent that idea.

 

[cujenn81]

I think you are correct. The mother found her.
During a media briefing on Aug. 15, Soward said that Balbaneda explained how the injuries happened but he didn’t want to share those details until the sheriff’s office had confirmed her cause of death.

“We still have a little bit of doubt; we need to figure that out,” Soward said.

I think the living conditions were not quite like the sheriffs was quoted, , “Sipps was kept on a homemade bedding area in an environment that was not kept to a reasonable standard of cleanliness.” I think that was a nice way of saying the house was a pig pen.

The Mother and "step father" didn't cause the injuries but didn't seek the medical treatment she obviously needed.
“We have determined that upon being found by her mother, Sipps was still alive, although in dire need of immediate medical treatment,” the sheriff’s office stated in an Aug. 16 updated press release.

Regardless of how the injuries occurred, Soward said the parents “failed to act.”

“You still have a duty to provide medical care for a 12-year-old child,” he said.

Everything we know about the investigation into 12-year-old girl’s death, parents’ arrest in Atascosa County

The 12-year-old Miranda Sipps was pronounced dead on Monday, and her mother and stepfather are charged in connection with her death, according to the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office.

www.ksat.com

This makes no sense to me. They failed to call 911 for FOUR days because they didn’t want LE to see the unkept conditions of the home? That’s a ridiculous reason, in and of itself, but… why wouldn’t they have hurried to correct the undesirable conditions of the home and then call for help. Obviously, that’s not acceptable behavior either — but it would have been better than waiting until your child has stopped breathing to call!

 

[tlcya]

I do not understand all the mystery around HOW she came to be injured? The injury ended up being fatal, WHY are they not telling us what it was?

If the parents aren't responsible for causing it, why is it such a secret?

 

[Rikissa]

I do not understand all the mystery around HOW she came to be injured? The injury ended up being fatal, WHY are they not telling us what it was?

If the parents aren't responsible for causing it, why is it such a secret?

Could other children (family or non-family) been involved in whatever had caused her injury?

 

[LinasK]

Neck trauma sounds like an attack and someone choked her or fractured/broke her neck ?
A twelve year old girl.
Omo.

It's very mysterious why the police won't come out with the cause of death, but it sure sounds like child abuse to me.

 

[mickey2942]

So, they don't get medical attention for their daughter because the house is messy? Unfortunately, I know extreme hoarders that would probably rationalize that. Remember, hoarding is a mental illness. We are not talking about people who have a full deck of playing cards here.

 

[sasha17]

So, they don't get medical attention for their daughter because the house is messy? Unfortunately, I know extreme hoarders that would probably rationalize that. Remember, hoarding is a mental illness. We are not talking about people who have a full deck of playing cards here.

If it was just a matter of the house being messy, even if it was an awful hoarder situation, why not just put the child in the car and drive her to the hospital the moment the injury happened? They have a car as mentioned in this article, so it wasn't for lack of transportation: https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article291049920.html

"The night of Aug. 12, Balbaneda was driving with her daughter when she went into respiratory distress, so the mother called 911, according to the news release. Dispatchers instructed Balbaneda to meet first responders at a designated spot, according to deputies. The girl was “alive but unconscious” when she was taken to the hospital, Soward said."

There's something more going on here than just a messy house they didn't want first responders to see.

 

[everyoneblooms]

it sounds almost like they think she tried to commit suicide (injuries around the neck) but if you found your daughter trying to hang herself, wouldn't you get her IMMEDIATE help instead of smoothies...

 

[cujenn81]

Based on the symptom descriptions I’ve seen reported in the news — no visible broken bones or physical marks on her body, in and out of consciousness, eyes fluttering, some involuntary hand movements, inability to talk or swallow, and ultimately inability to breathe on her own — in my very humble and unprofessional opinion, I think she probably suffered a traumatic brain injury and the subsequent swelling caused damage to her brain stem or a neck injury damaged her brain stem. The worst part about this is that if swelling did cause injury to the brain stem, her parents could have easily saved her life had they immediately called for help.

"She was not talking," Soward said. "She basically could flutter her eyes and move her hands a little bit over a four day period. They had her laying on a pallet in the house."

Mom, stepdad of 12-year-old Texas girl who died charged with failure to seek medical care

Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward said that instead of getting the child medical treatment, the parents "were trying to give her smoothies."

www.usatoday.com

He confirmed that she did not have any broken bones or marks on her body.

Shocking details in death of girl whose parents refused to seek help

Shocking new details have emerged in the death of a Texas cheerleader, 12, who suffered from a mystery illness. Instead of seeking medical attention, the parents attempted to heal the child themselves.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Brain stem injury: Symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment

Injury to the brain stem is susceptible because of its location and is fatal. It affects the quality of life as brain stem injury can change the patients’ memory and personality. Learn more.

tbi.com

Most times, brain stem injury results from swelling and inflammation from other severe head injuries. Swelling pushes the brain to stem against the hard covering known as the skull. This causes damage to the brain and stem.

With the severely damaged brain stem, the patients are paralyzed and cannot move any body parts except their eyes. These patients can hear and understand everything going on around them but cannot communicate.

Sometimes, brain stem injury can lead to swallowing and gag reflex problems.

…any damage to the medulla can interfere with its function, and it cannot detect the carbon dioxide level in the blood. This gives rise to breathing issues in response.

 

[LinasK]

Even IF the girl had an accident or suicide attempt, who doesn't get medical attention for their child? Drive her to the hospital yourself if your house is messy. Smoothies will do nothing to stop internal bleeding, and especially if the person isn't conscious enough to swallow...

 

[microsleuth88]

So, they don't get medical attention for their daughter because the house is messy? Unfortunately, I know extreme hoarders that would probably rationalize that. Remember, hoarding is a mental illness. We are not talking about people who have a full deck of playing cards here.

As @sasha17 said, wouldn't you just drive her to the hospital when it first happened? Then no one would ever see the home? To me it makes no sense to try to drive her to the hospital days later if that was the case.

Based on the symptom descriptions I’ve seen reported in the news — no visible broken bones or physical marks on her body, in and out of consciousness, eyes fluttering, some involuntary hand movements, inability to talk or swallow, and ultimately inability to breathe on her own — in my very humble and unprofessional opinion, I think she probably suffered a traumatic brain injury and the subsequent swelling caused damage to her brain stem or a neck injury damaged her brain stem. The worst part about this is that if swelling did cause injury to the brain stem, her parents could have easily saved her life had they immediately called for help.

"She was not talking," Soward said. "She basically could flutter her eyes and move her hands a little bit over a four day period. They had her laying on a pallet in the house."

Mom, stepdad of 12-year-old Texas girl who died charged with failure to seek medical care

Atascosa County Sheriff David Soward said that instead of getting the child medical treatment, the parents "were trying to give her smoothies."

www.usatoday.com

He confirmed that she did not have any broken bones or marks on her body.

Shocking details in death of girl whose parents refused to seek help

Shocking new details have emerged in the death of a Texas cheerleader, 12, who suffered from a mystery illness. Instead of seeking medical attention, the parents attempted to heal the child themselves.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Brain stem injury: Symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment

Injury to the brain stem is susceptible because of its location and is fatal. It affects the quality of life as brain stem injury can change the patients’ memory and personality. Learn more.

tbi.com

Most times, brain stem injury results from swelling and inflammation from other severe head injuries. Swelling pushes the brain to stem against the hard covering known as the skull. This causes damage to the brain and stem.

With the severely damaged brain stem, the patients are paralyzed and cannot move any body parts except their eyes. These patients can hear and understand everything going on around them but cannot communicate.

Sometimes, brain stem injury can lead to swallowing and gag reflex problems.

…any damage to the medulla can interfere with its function, and it cannot detect the carbon dioxide level in the blood. This gives rise to breathing issues in response.

I think she may have been choked which would explain the "neck injury" and as a result of the choking causing a lack of oxygen to the brain she suffered an anoxic brain injury which sadly would leave her in a vegetative state which is kind of what I'm understanding her to have been in? It's just such a sad and awful case. But that would be the reason I suspect they didnt seek medical attention aince they knew they wpuld be going to jail for child abuse at the very least.. I am worried this will end up being something more sinister especially after the madeline soto case

 

[mickey2942]

Even IF the girl had an accident or suicide attempt, who doesn't get medical attention for their child? Drive her to the hospital yourself if your house is messy. Smoothies will do nothing to stop internal bleeding, and especially if the person isn't conscious enough to swallow...

Exactly. There is something messed up here. Normal people take their kids to the ER when they are hurt. It is not a "cultural" problem. Or an issue with language barriers, or not wanting to let anyone know about immigration status. I have been in the process with plenty of parents who didn't speak English. No one cared about anything but getting help for their kids.

 

[red carpet fiber]

My very first thought when clicking on this story: Not calling 911? Meeting authorities on the road? Instead of at home? It's a hoarder house and/or drug house.
Second thought: Vague and evasive info from LE regarding her injuries? The parents may be telling LE it was a suicide attempt, but LE don't want to say that publicly until they rule out foul play. If they find evidence of foul play they'll add more charges. Even if that doesn't happen, those are still some pretty serious charges their facing, felony injury of child.

 

[red carpet fiber]

My very first thought when clicking on this story: Not calling 911? Meeting authorities on the road? Instead of at home? It's a hoarder house and/or drug house.
Second thought: Vague and evasive info from LE regarding her injuries? The parents may be telling LE it was a suicide attempt, but LE don't want to say that publicly until they rule out foul play. If they find evidence of foul play they'll add more charges. Even if that doesn't happen, those are still some pretty serious charges their facing, felony injury of child.