'Malnourished girl (4) found dead in filthy flat'
A four-year-old girl weighing less than a six-month-old baby has been found dead after apparently being tied to her cot
Marchella's mother, Carlotta Pierce, calls herself a 'proud parent' on her MySpace pageShe has two other children - Sons, aged 6 years and 9 months
Police found the severely-malnourished child, weighing just 15 pounds, after being called to the "filthy" New York apartment by her mother.
The toddler has been identified as Marchella Pierce.
She was found dead in her mother's bed - but there was a child's cot nearby with rails on it and rope twine tied to them at the top and bottom, according to the New York Post.
Marchella had marks on her ankles that were consistent with being tied up, officers said.
Yet the cause of her death is a mystery.
Police are unsure if they are investigating a horrific case of child neglect or the tragic death of a sickly child who spent most of her life in the hospital.
Cops are questioning the girl's mother, Carlotta Pierce, 30, her father, Tyrone Pierce, 30, and her grandmother, Loretta Brett.
Investigators are awaiting results from an autopsy.
"My wife is a wonderful mother. I've never seen her hurt her kids," said Tyrone Pierce, who is separated from Carlotta.
He said Marchella was born prematurely at barely more than a pound. Her lungs were underdeveloped and she was in hospitals from birth until this February.
Doctors gave her a tracheotomy, making a hole in her neck so she could breathe with a tube.
The New York Daily News quoted her father as saying that a plastic insert for the hole was too small, causing problems, and that Marchella only recently began eating solid food through her mouth.
Tyrone Pierce said he knew nothing about his daughter being restrained.
Carlotta also has two sons, aged 6 years and 9 months.
- Reports from the New York Daily News and Daily Mail UK
Lelolacius
yah neh kgnthe ditikoloshe le tsona diafihla ko New York... ke ditikoloshe tse dika dirang gore motho o normal a dire masepa a tshwanang le ona a mxp! so sad 4yr old damn...Report Abuse
MamaZen
This monster in the pic o rata dilo too much. If she'd paid more attention to ngwana wa gae a tlogela go jola. You can see the way she looks gore o rata banna le go-groova. Couldn't the parents o koko wa ngwana try to find help for the poor child. Things like these really break a person's heart waitse. May the little girl's soul RIP:-(Report Abuse
MamaZen
This monster in the pic o rata dilo too much. If she'd paid more attention to ngwana wa gae a tlogela go jola. You can see the way she looks gore o rata banna le go-groova. Couldn't the parents o koko wa ngwana try to find help for the poor child. Things like these really break a person's heart waitse. May the little girl's soul RIP:-(Report Abuse
IceQueen
poor poor child. a mother do this to a child, her own flesh and bloodReport Abuse
AndyC
I just read the same story in the morning on a british newspaper ...whoever did this story just copied and pasted it ... this is ridiculous ...u cant just do dat we r not dumb this is not the only online paper we read ...get a grip and be mo original or you will loose readers ...Report Abuse
Isbe
I agree with AndyC also read the same story this morning, guys please stop copying other people's work,we want to read something fresh that's why we visit your website or you will loose a lot of readers.Stick to something that is original.*dissapointed*Report Abuse
Mstick
New York Daily News, Daily Mail.....newspapers all over the world share stories if you didnt know....so the source for this story its the New York Daily News.....Newspapers have reporters all over the world to give them any newsworthy stories around the globe outside their home country, they personally dont have to be there....hope you now understand why Sowetan did thisReport Abuse
IceQueen
Mstick so true, but they need to make sure that stories like this are posted early though.Report Abuse