"Toddler Jane' K-W - 2 yo/ Accused:Keresa Wilford/ Mother - Evansville IN

EPD: Girl, 2, weighs only 18 lbs; mother arrested for child neglect



EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - The mother of a 2-year-old girl weighing only 18 pounds has been charged with child neglect.

Keresa Wilford is being in the Vanderburgh County Jail, and Evansville Police say this isn't the first time her young daughter has been close to death.

Police have only identified the young girl as KW, and she is now in protective custody. They say the girl was malnourished, severely dehydrated, and was a victim to a previous head injury.

"Reading these cases, they're quite disturbing," said Sgt. Kevin Pay with EPD. "But the worst thing is actually seeing it in person."

Pay describes the case as hard to understand. Police records state two-and-a-half-year-old KW was admitted into Deaconess Gateway Hospital after severe dehydration and malnourishment.

Doctors described the child as morbid and unresponsive, saying the dehydration was the worst case care givers have ever seen.

"You just don't understand why," Pay told 14 News. "That's the biggest question we want to know, is 'why, why did this happen, why did you allow this to happen?'."

Doctors say if the child was not brought in to Deaconess Gateway, she may have died within six hours.

Police say the mother, Keresa Wilford, admitted to not feeding KW for a two day period.

Police also say KW was a victim to a head injury in October of last year. The injury was so severe, the girl had to have a feeding tube.

Georgia Police arrested KW's father in that case, but he has since been released on a $5,000 bond.

Wilford has been arrested on a child neglect felony. The case is headed to the prosecutors office for formal charges.

Her bond has been set at $50,000.

KW is now recovering, doctors say she gained five pounds in just the first two days of proper treatment.



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