An Oklahoma mother and her boyfriend have been charged with murder after allegedly gluing shut their 7-year-old daughter’s mouth.
Violet Mitchell, 7, weighed just 29 pounds when she died in August. The girl’s mother, Lisa Mitchell, 31, and her boyfriend, Anthony Yonko, 37, are now each charged with second-degree murder, according to court records.
The infant was subjected to extensive maltreatment during her brief life, according to an arrest record acquired by KOCO. She died on August 2, according to her obituary.
According to the investigation, her mother hit the girl “mostly with a broomstick” and “tied her legs to the crib with zip ties.”
When she could, the relative would untie the small girl and remove glue from her mouth, which was sealed shut, she explained.
Mitchell and Yonko took Violet to SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital in early August. Violet died within an hour after her arrival. According to KFOR, a doctor told authorities that the infant had bruises all over her body, red fluid pouring out of her mouth, and weighed only 25 pounds.
According to KOCO, the medical examiner’s office determined that the kid died due to “failure to thrive” after discovering the tip of a baby bottle caught in her small intestine.
She had “sunken eyes” and was “wearing a diaper that was otherwise sized for a 3-year-old,” according to the office. The autopsy report stated that she was “essentially skin on bone,” as reported by Law & Crime.
“It is unclear to this examiner if the intestinal obstruction by the foreign body is accidental or intentional,” according to the investigation.
The Oklahoma Department of Human Services informed the source that “this child’s death is a profound tragedy, and we are grateful to our law enforcement and medical partners whose efforts will help us and the community better understand the circumstances surrounding her death.”
Tiffany Mitchell, Lisa’s sister, and Anthony’s brother, David Yonko, are also charged with second-degree murder, according to court records. Their role in the situation is not immediately evident.
All four have pled not guilty, according to court records. They are being incarcerated in the Oklahoma County Detention Center.