" loading="" class="lazyload size-article_feature" data-sizes="auto" data-src="" src="https://www.mercurynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/10_20_2016.jpg?w=467"/>
Olivia Gant is pictured in 2016.
5 years after Olivia Gant, 7, died in a Denver hospice after being fed solely popsicles and juice for 19 days, a choose on Wednesday sentenced her mom to 16 years in jail for inflicting the lady’s demise.
Kelly Turner, 44, pleaded responsible in January to a felony cost of kid abuse that negligently prompted her daughter’s demise. As a part of the plea settlement, first-degree homicide costs in opposition to Turner had been dismissed and the prosecution and protection agreed to the 16-year jail time period.
Turner additionally pleaded responsible to felony theft and fraud costs, for which she obtained a mixed 13-year jail sentence to be served similtaneously the 16-year sentence.
Turner was accused of pretending for years that Olivia was sick when she was truly wholesome, and was accused of manipulating medical doctors at Kids’s Hospital Colorado into placing Olivia by a collection of pointless and at instances life-threatening procedures. Turner finally satisfied Olivia’s medical group that Olivia needs to be discharged to hospice, the place she was closely medicated and given no diet till she died.
On the time, some medical doctors and nurses at Kids’s Hospital Colorado raised issues that Turner may be medically abusing Olivia, however the hospital didn't alert outdoors authorities earlier than Olivia died, regardless of the state’s mandated reporting legal guidelines, a Denver Publish investigation discovered. As a substitute, the hospital investigated with its personal inner little one safety group, which determined there was no have to alert outdoors authorities.
“If anyone spoke up and guarded Olivia, she can be right here as we speak,” her grandfather, Lonnie Gautreau, stated in an announcement learn in courtroom Wednesday.
He wept throughout the sentencing and known as for modifications to the state’s obligatory reporting legal guidelines to assist shield different youngsters.
Olivia was a high-profile affected person at Kids’s Hospital Colorado who was featured within the hospital’s advertising and marketing supplies. Her mom ate up that spotlight and standing, The Publish discovered. Docs and caregivers at Kids’s Hospital Colorado missed or dismissed a number of warning indicators that Olivia’s supposed sickness won't be actual, The Publish discovered.
A spokeswoman for the hospital declined to touch upon Wednesday’s sentencing.
Ara Ohanian, Turner’s public defender, stated throughout the sentencing that Olivia suffered authentic medical issues and that Turner didn't kill the lady.
“She just isn't responsible of murdering her little one,” Ohanian stated. “The plea we took on this case is negligent little one abuse.”
He stated the “case turned” when medical doctors and attorneys from Kids’s Hospital Colorado sat down with the protection and talked the attorneys by their decision-making. Ohanian then provided a prolonged protection of the medical doctors’ actions. The hospital in September resolved a $25 million civil declare by Olivia’s household in a confidential deal.
Christopher Gallo, 18th Judicial District chief deputy district legal professional, stated throughout the sentencing listening to that the plea settlement was “not full justice, not excellent justice” however was “some degree of justice.”
“It's an unlucky and really irritating factor that essentially the most insidious crimes an individual can commit are additionally essentially the most troublesome to prosecute and show,” he stated.
District Court docket Decide Patricia Herron imposed the agreed-on sentence and, in a shock transfer, additionally ordered that Turner can't financially profit from Olivia’s demise sooner or later.
“Whether or not that be due to a film session, ebook session or ebook offers,” Herron stated. “…The order is Ms. Turner shall not, and won't for the remainder of her life, be allowed to learn additional financially from this case or the details related with this case.”
Ought to such offers generate any cash for Turner, that cash should be donated to the charities that she defrauded, Herron stated.