ASHLEY DIAZ - 4 months - Orlando FL

A mother was charged with aggravated child abuse after her 4-month-old infant died. According
to the Orlando Police Department, the infant was found unconscious
inside her home. Police say her death is suspicious because there were
bite marks covering her body, and a bruise above her right eye.

The girl’s mother, Katie Furtaw, has been charged with aggravated child abuse. According to the police report, Furtaw admitted to police that she bit the girl repeatedly because she would not stop crying. The infant’s father was not home at the time of the incident and police are not looking for additional suspects. The case is an ongoing death investigation. The Medical Examiner has not ruled the manner and cause of death

Police say four month old Ashley Diaz was taken to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children two weeks ago.
She died not long after.
Doctors say the girl appeared to be covered in bite marks. OPS's
Sergeant Barb Jones says 21 year old Katie Furtaw was arrested for
aggravated child abuse and police are investigating the baby's death.

"She said she 'nibbled' on the baby in a 'playful manner'". But in a
follow up interview Jones says Furtaw, "did admit she bit the baby out
of frustration. She didn't think she bit her that bad, but obviously
the girl has injuries."

Police say the child had what appeared
to be bite marks on her upper left arm, both sides of her neck, her
left elbow, the outside of her upper right arm, her left inner thigh,
and her right upper thigh.

Investigators say in an interview
last Friday, Furtaw began crying hysterically and admitted she bit
Ashley because the child was crying after being fed and when given
diaper changes and she did not know how to deal with it.

Two
doctors, however could not conclusively determine the injuries are
human bite marks and a Forensic Odontologist was called in but could
not say they were bite marks.

The Medical Examiners office is still determining Ashley's cause of death.

Furtaw was accused of aggravated child abuse and has bonded out of the Orange County jail.

http://courtwatchflorida.blogspot.com/2009/12/whatever-happened-to-4.html
Katie Furtaw
2009-CF-012414-A-O
Aggravated Child Abuse

Defendant admitted to biting her 21-month old daughter numerous times. The child subsequently died. Charges were dropped this week due to insufficient evidence, causing the State to determine the case could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. For more info as reported in the Sentinel, click here.

tom - would this be considered unresolved? adjudicated? certainly no justice for this poor baby

oviedo45 wrote:tom - would this be considered unresolved? adjudicated? certainly no justice for this poor baby

---Well, I am inclined to put it in UNRESOLVED for now. New evidence may yet surface. We can only hope...
ADJUDICATED would mean that there was a verdict of some sort. No trial=No verdict

8/11/09 Ashley Diaz (4 mos) F Katie Furtaw F mother Agg child abuse home bite 2009CF12414 Case dropped

http://www.courtwatchflorida.org/uploads/Homicides_Orange_xls.pdf

This is pathetic. The mother admitted she bit the baby and there were marks all over the baby. Sheesh, I can't believe they'll just let her go. Hopefully they will find something down the road and charge this mean witch or she'll kill other children.

What's up with the coroner that they can't find the cause of death? Unbelievable.