Couple charged with second-degree murder in 7-year-old Midwest City girl’s death
A man and a woman arrested in the death of a 7-year-old girl who police said was extremely malnourished have been charged with second-degree murder, according to court records.
A man and a woman arrested in the death of a 7-year-old girl who police said was extremely malnourished have been charged with second-degree murder, according to court records.
A man and a woman arrested in the death of a 7-year-old girl who police said was extremely malnourished have been charged with second-degree murder, according to court records.
A man and a woman arrested in the death of a 7-year-old girl who police said was extremely malnourished have been charged with second-degree murder, according to court records.
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Just before 1:10 p.m. on Aug. 2, an officer with the Midwest City Police Department was called to a local hospital after staff had notified the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner that the child had died.
Speaking with a doctor at the hospital, the officer was told the girl was pronounced dead at 12:20 p.m. and displayed signs of rigor mortis and had possible internal and external injuries. The officer said the girl was “extremely malnourished” and weighed only 25 pounds and was only 37-inches tall, according to an affidavit.
Growth charts developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show a normal height for a 6-year-old girl to be between 42 and 49 inches and a normal weight to be between 36 to 60 pounds. The average height for an 8-year-old girl would be between 47 and 54 inches and an average weight of 44 to 80 pounds.
The father, Anthony Yonko, told officers a number of stories about the child and the circumstances that led to her being taken to the hospital. He claimed he woke that morning and was alerted by Lisa Mitchell, the girl’s mother, that the child was not moving, was sick and needed to be taken to the hospital, according to the affidavit.
After being arrested, Yonko told police that the girl weighed 50 pounds four or five days ago and was “completely healthy.” The officer stated Yonko could not give an explanation why she weighed 25 pounds and was very unhealthy at the hospital, according to the affidavit.
Oklahoma County Court records show both Yonko and Mitchell have been charged on one count of second-degree murder of a child. Bond was set at $5 million for both Yonko and Mitchell, records show.
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