Jury Selection Begins In Danieal Kelly Wrongful Death Case
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Jury selection is scheduled to begin today in the trial of the final three defendants charged in connection with the neglect and starvation death of 14-year-old Danieal Kelly in 2006.
Opening statements and testimony are scheduled to begin next week.
Danieal Kelly, a handicapped at-risk child under the supervision of social service agencies, died a ghastly, gruesome death. Experts say she suffered for weeks before she died, covered in bed sores and weighing just 42 pounds.
Her father Daniel is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, for allegedly abandoning Danieal to a mother he knew was neglecting her. DHS case worker Dana Poindexter faces charges because he allegedly failed to carry out his duty to investigate.
And Mickal Kamuvaka, who ran the private social service agency and organized the financial fraud that allegedly led to Danieal's death, faces a long list of charges including involuntary manslaughter. All three of these defendants have pleaded not guilty.
Several other people have pleaded guilty in the case, including Danieal's mother, who pleaded guilty to third degree murder and is now serving a 20 to 40 year prison sentence.
Reported by Tony Hanson, KYW Newsradio
