A Florida mother allegedly strangled her one-year-old daughter, identified as Mia Rice, to death and did not tell the police officers immediately. Initially, she pinned the crime on her two-year-old son.
The mother was identified as Kristen Marie DePasquale. People reported that she has been charged with first-degree murder and child neglect. DePasquale reportedly told investigators that her two-year-old son was in the living room with his sister while she took a five-minute shower.
DePasquale noted that she left the shower upon hearing her son saying sorry to his little sister. She continued to claim that she found her daughter partially hanging from a string of pumpkin-shaped lights around her neck.
As the investigation furthered, however, detectives found multiple inconsistencies with her statements. Oviedo police detective Christopher George said in a statement that the shower was dry when it was inspected and that DePasquale was wearing make-up and jewelry when responding officers came to their home while the towel she used was also dry.
As per her attorney, DePasquale has not pleaded guilty and is said to be very sad over what happened. It remains unknown what the motive was or what was the reason behind the alleged strangling.
It was also observed by authorities that the marks on the neck of Price showed more force than what a two-year-old boy can do. The medical examiner ruled that Price died via homicide by strangulation.
DePasquale was reported to be the one who called 911 wherein she claimed that her children were out in the living room playing and when she came back, her daughter was bleeding. The 911 call lasted for several minutes and at one point, DePasquale said that her daughter took a breath and spit something out.
Responding officers made efforts to revive Price. She was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead, Washington Post reported. DePasquale, on the other hand, remained in custody without bail at the Seminole County Jail in Florida. The 27-year-old mother will be arraigned on Jan. 3.
