GUILTY KY - Danika Charles, 22 mos, beaten to death, Clay City, 19 Feb 2010

[Texas Mist]

Kentucky State Police are investigating the death of a 22 month-old Powell County toddler.

Family members say 22 month-old Danika Leighton Charles lit up everyone around her with her smile.

But now her short life is over, and there are unanswered questions.

Authorities say around two Friday afternoon, the little girl was found unresponsive by her mother Jessica Charles inside their home in the Vaughns Mill Community.

"I went to get her out of bed, " said Charles, "she was blue, she had little bruises all over her, and she wasn't breathing."

Charles says she called 9-1-1 and began giving her daughter c.p.r. until paramedics arrived.

After being rushed to Clark County Regional Hospital, Danika was pronounced dead.

According to the Clark County Coroner she died of blunt force trauma to her head, chest, abdomen, legs and arms.

"I'd never ever hurt my kids," said Charles, "anybody that knows me knows that I'd never hurt my children."

Charles says her daughter has been in and out of the hospital for more than 3 weeks, with what she says were unexplained sores, hair-loss, and bruising.

"She had one bruise on her head," Charles said, "We couldn't get any answers."

She says Danika had just returned from a recent hospital stay when she died.

Kentucky State Police are investigating Danika's death as a homicide.

Family members say Charles is not the only one who has been alone with the toddler recently.

There have been no arrests in the case.

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/84866887.html

RIP, little Danika :rose:

I'm sorry so many people let you down.

 

[DeepThinker]

Poor little girl...RIP Danika :frown:

Whoever it turns out to be that did this, needs to suffer in exactly the same way this sweet little angel did. :furious:

 

[DairyGirl]

Why do I have a feeling that mom has a boyfriend that has been helping her out with child care?

 

[Texas Mist]

Updated: 12:14 AM Feb 23, 2010
Police could be closing in on arrest for toddler's death
The arrest could come as soon as Monday. Sources have told 27 NEWSFIRST they have a person of interest in the case.

a little more here -- news vid says there were other people in the home

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/84965697.html

================================

Updated: 8:20 PM Feb 25, 2010
911 call released

Larry Hall the dispatcher who answered the phone said in 12 years on the job, said he'd never heard a phone call like this before.

Dispatcher: "What's going on?"
Mom: "My daughter's dead."
Dispatcher: "You daughter's what?"
Mom: My daughter was hurt, she's dead."


a little more here

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/85422862.html

====================

checked out Topix - seems 'family' believes little Danika had some undiagnosed medical issues.....it's not clear why they believe this would cause blunt force trauma

http://www.topix.com/forum/city/clay-city-ky/TV1933POB14UOV042

 

[believe09]

Thanks TM: I lifted this from topix...

Judged:

1

1


i am a member of the family. i would first like to say i love how people can comment on things they have absolutly no idea about. we are the first to say that whoever did this, and we know who did, that the ONE person should be brought to justice. danika was taken to the hospital with long periods of staying there and had 10 to 15 different [COLOR=#739912 !important][COLOR=#739912 !important]doctors[/COLOR][/COLOR] trying to diagnose her. she was a very loved child with a huge family surrounding her, and no one had a clue as to what was happening to her. that goes to show how a monster can so easily come into you home and/or family without anyone knowing. so you should leave the juding to those who are appointed to do that. and as for her mother and drugs having anything to do with that, you are an idiot. no one is going to abuse your own [COLOR=#739912 !important][COLOR=#739912 !important]baby[/COLOR][/COLOR] and then take them to the hospital to try and figure out what is happening. in one way or the other justice will happen for danika, either the law enforcement or the Lord will deliver what is due to "him". instead of gossiping about what happened, people should put them in your prayers and also hope that nothing like this ever happens to anyone in your family. and beleive me, if it can happen to ours, it can happen to anyone.


this person seems to be pointing a big ole finger at the boyfriend I think....

 

[Herding Cats]

Munchausen by proxy...?

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[BeanE]

This sure sounds like Munchausen by proxy to me.

 

[Herding Cats]

From where I sit, it certainly fits a lot of the criteria...

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[SunnieRN]

Either situation is entirely possible, poor angel. If it was a boyfriend than shame on the mother for not doing more to protect her child. If it was Munchausen by proxy I am surprised the family did not suspect that the mother was responsible. If she had been in the hospital several times, I wonder if the doctors suspected anything?

 

[Texas Mist]

I've seen comments that Danika had blisters in her mouth (but can't find in news articles, just mention of 'unexplained sores')...that combined w/ hair loss makes me wonder if she was being poisoned - or had access to toxic chemicals.

Poor little thing.

May justice prevail.

 

[believe09]

At 22 months, wouldnt she have been able to express something about what was happening to her? Especially if she was in the hospital for long periods of time???

Blunt force trauma does NOT sound like MBP to me, no offense. I can see a woman who might not have realized what was happening to her baby, but it is QUITE a stretch for me...meaning if the BF was beating up on her. The child would have been fearful of being left with the guy, right?

 

[Recovering-Lurker]

Danika is also my daughter's name, so this grabbed my attention. R.I.P. sweet Danika.

 

[kbl8201]

whoever it is i hope they are arrested soon.

 

[BeanE]

 

[Belinda]

Posted: Aug 4, 2010 7:36 AM

A Powell County woman accused in the death of her 22-month-old daughter is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

Jessica Charles, 26, already pleaded not guilty. Her daughter, Danika, died at Clark County Hospital back in February. A grand jury indicted Charles about a month later after autopsy results showed the toddler died from blunt force trauma to her head, chest, abdomen, legs and arms.

Charles is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on Wednesday morning.

http://www.lex18.com/news/woman-charged-in-daughter-s-death-to-appear-in-court/

 

[OkieGranny]

From September 2012:

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/Mother-sentenced-to-three-years-in-daughters-death-170352316.html

A Powell County judge agreed with the Commonwealth's recommendation that Jessica Charles should serve three years for the death of her young daughter who was beaten to death in 2010...

More than two years after police said Danika Charles was beaten to death, her mother faced sentencing for reckless homicide. Jessica Charles pleaded guilty to the charge...