13-year-old killed by adoptive mom had autism
FOX 13’s Jordan Bowen studies on the homicide of a 13-year-old autistic woman that authorities consider was killed by her adoptive mom, a former DCF employee.
HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. – Extra data has come to mild in a Hernando County case a couple of 13-year-old woman who deputies say was murdered by her adoptive mom and a Florida Division of Youngsters and Households (DCF) worker.
Selena’s beginning mother, Jennifer Kellum, says she and Selena’s adoptive mom, Diana Mack, who additionally adopted her 12-year-old daughter, have just lately been in communication.
Mugshot of Diana Natasha Mack.
Mack is accused of abusing Selena and tying her up in a storage.
They’d talked on the cellphone about Selena’s wants and have been planning to reunite the sisters with their two youthful siblings, of whom Kellum does have custody.
Selena has autism, and her beginning mom worries that which will have contributed to her loss of life.
The pair had talked on the cellphone about Selena’s wants and have been planning to reunite the sisters with their two youthful siblings, of whom Kellum does have custody.
Selena was ten the final time she noticed her beginning mother, Jennifer Kellum. Across the similar time, Kellum says she was identified with autism.
Since then, Kellum has been involved about whether or not her daughter obtained correct care.
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Earlier than any reunification occurred, nonetheless, Selena was discovered murdered.
“She (has) a incapacity. For those who do not give somebody with a incapacity their drugs, they’ll act out it doesn’t matter what,” Kellum stated.
Picture of Selena, who was discovered murdered in a storage final in October 2024.
Final month, Highlands County deputies discovered Selena unresponsive and emaciated, coated in bruises, and chained to the storage door of this dwelling in Sebring.
Stacey Hoaglund, the President of the Autism Society of Florida, sounded horrified to listen to that Mack was as soon as an worker of the Division of Youngsters and Households.
“The system fully dropped the ball on this youngster. She was homeschooled, which meant not even a college was taking a look at her,” Hoaglund stated.
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FOX 13 Information contacted DCF to learn how typically they checked the kid’s welfare, a query they’ve but to reply.
Highland County’s Sheriff’s Workplace says it’s unclear how lengthy the kid could have been tied up, however that Mack had 4 different youngsters residing within the dwelling.
These 4 youngsters embrace Kellum’s different 12-year-old daughter, whom Mack adopted.
Jennifer Kellum together with her two daughters at a park.
In response to this arrest affidavit, deputies discovered handwritten paperwork written by the kids with the identical verbiage written a number of occasions as a type of punishment.
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It says considered one of them had verbiage referring to what to not do to get her “butt” spanked by mother. One other was authored about having selections and selections leading to “penalties” and being thrown out of the home.
One of many handwritten paperwork written by Selena was dated Nov. 10, simply 5 days earlier than Selena was discovered murdered.
“I need my youngster dwelling. I (have) my different two children. My child must be dwelling,” Kellum stated, referencing her 12-year-old daughter.
In response to the arrest affidavit, Mack’s 4 different children, together with Kellum’s 12-year-old daughter, have been put within the care of Mack’s brother instantly after Selena was discovered murdered.
It should nonetheless be clarified if the youngsters are nonetheless in his care or foster care.
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