Yahoo News Couple charged with murder after girl, four, dies in ‘worst child death case in years’
A couple have been charged with the murder of a four-year-old girl who died after suffering horrific injuries “in a scalding bath”.
Gabrielle Barrett died on New Year’s Day, having suffered severe burns on her limbs after she was put into the bath with boiling hot water.
The medical practitioner who examined the child’s body described the alleged murder as the “worst child death case” in his 27-year career, according to court documents.
The four-year-old was allegedly so badly burned that her big toe fell off.
Gabrielle’s mother, Candice Diaz, 24, and her partner Brad Fields, 28, have now been charged with murder, torture and chid abuse.
The couple, from Michigan, both have a history of severe mental illness and were arrested one week after Gabrielle died.
Diaz said she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety, while Fields said he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, social anxiety, agoraphobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
MOST POPULAR ON YAHOO UK TODAY
Princess Eugenie engaged to long term boyfriend Jack Brooksbank
Great-grandmother, 81, strangled by man who raped and murdered her daughter is denied compensation
Iraq sentences German woman to death for joining Isis
Double stabbing in front of horrified shoppers at Luton mall leaves trail of blood on floor
YouTuber left ‘crying in car’ after hotel ‘exposes’ her request for free accommodation
According to the court document, Diaz claimed that Gabrielle had run her own bath after Diaz had filled the bathtub halfway.
The document states: “The mother claimed she ran Gabrielle’s bath and placed Gabrielle into the tub after she filled the tub halfway.
“The mother then claimed she left Gabrielle alone in the tub and went to the kitchen to make pancakes.
“When she returned, Diaz claimed that she discovered the water level had risen and her daughter was submerged in water up to her nose.
“The mother said she called Brad to the bathroom for help. According to the mother, Gabrielle continued to vomit, and Fields attempted to provide CPR.”
Diaz admitted to not taking her child to the hospital and eventually called police later in the night.
Cocaine was allegedly found inside the home when police arrived.
Gabrielle’s father, Kyle Barrett, said he last saw his daughter in September before turning himself into police on unrelated charges before being released two days after his daughter’s death.
He said: “I got to give her a kiss and a hug and say I loved her.”
