Colorado mom Kelly Turner was due to go to trial in February 2022 for the death of her seven-year-old daughter, Olivia Gant, in 2017. But, she reached a deal with the prosecutors after admitting her guilt in court.
On Monday, January 3, Turner told the Colorado courts that she was guilty of child abuse that led to her daughter's death. She also pleaded guilty to felony charitable fraud and felony theft after pretending that her seven-year-old suffered from an illness so she could become a beneficiary of the Make a Wish Foundation.
However, Vikki Migoya, the district attorney's spokesperson, said that the other charges laid out against Turner, such as murder, were dismissed. Because of her admission, her case will scrap the trial and move on to sentencing on Wednesday, February 9. She could face prison time of up to 16 years.
What Kelly Turner Did to Olivia
Cops arrested Turner, formerly known as Kelly Gant, in Denver in 2019 after a grand jury indicted her for Olivia's death. The seven-year-old struggled with a mysterious illness, hospitalizations, and surgery for most of her young life.
Her mother claimed that she had problems digesting food and a seizure disorder because her brain had fluid build-up. Her cause of death was attributed to an intestinal failure. However, Olivia's body was exhumed in 2018 because of her mother's indictment. The autopsy revealed no evidence of any of the illnesses Turner claimed.
In the final weeks of Olivia's life, Turner convinced the hospital's multiple doctors that her illness was terminal. She was also able to make one doctor sign a "do not resuscitate" (DNR) order after she decided to stop all of Olivia's treatments and nourish her with a feeding tube.
Authorities saw cause to charge Turner with defrauding Medicaid of $538,000 and ripping off two charities, including the well-known Make-a-Wish Foundation. She also scammed hundreds of donors for various online fundraising efforts for Olivia's treatments. The police were also able to gather evidence that she stole from the funeral home and the cemetery where her daughter was buried.
Suspicions were raised against the mother after she claimed shortly after Olivia's death that her teenage daughter was diagnosed with cancer. However, the girl's medical records belied her claims.
What is Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy?
District Court Judge Patricia Herron said that Turner's case had been a challenging study on Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP). According to the University of Michigan Health, MSBP is a mental health disorder that involves a person, usually a caregiver, who makes up a patient's illnesses. MSBP may be considered a form of abuse.
Herron said that MSBP could be heinous, dangerous, and deadly. She also noted that the scenario could be a "horrific, depraved condition" that could lead to death, as in this case, when undetected.
The district attorney's office is also looking into the Children's Hospital Colorado for accountability as they failed to see Turner's suspicious intentions and never reported her to the police. If they had done this, Olivia's life might have been saved.
Olivia's grandfather, Lonnie Gautreau, said he wants the truth to save other children in the same situation. Reports cited that the hospital settled with the family behind closed doors.
