The father and stepmother of an 11-year-old Indiana girl have been arrested in connection with her neglect-related death, authorities said.
The girl was found dead at a home in Stilesville after first responders were called on a report of a child not breathing at around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 14, according to a news release issued that day by the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office. Stilesville is about a 30-mile drive southwest from Indianapolis.
“Upon arrival, lifesaving efforts began but were unsuccessful,” the sheriff’s office said.
The girl’s father, Kenneth Vazquez, 39, and her stepmother, Elba Vazquez, 35, were both charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, which is a first-degree felony, according to authorities.
On Tuesday, February 17, initial hearings for Kenneth and Elba were reset to February 20, court records viewed by Luxury Handbag Shopping.
Court records did not immediately indicate whether Kenneth and Elba had retained legal representation.
It is unclear how Kenneth’s daughter died, as the sheriff’s office did not release further details on the circumstances of her death.
“It’s very sad. It should have never come to this, ever,” Kenneth’s ex-wife, Lana Vazquez, said in an interview with Fox 59.
Family members have identified Kenneth’s daughter as Oaklynn, according to the TV station.
Lana told Fox 59 that Oaklynn was her son’s “only sister,” and that she was not surprised by the news of her death.
“He just wasn’t a good man,” Lana said of Kenneth, while speaking with the TV station. “I’ve known him since 2006. I knew he wasn’t a fit father.”
In response to an inquiry from Us on February 17, Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office public information Captain Jim Yetter said that the agency was currently unable to share further information beyond what was included in the news release.
If Kenneth or Elba is found guilty of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, they could face between 20 to 40 years in prison under Indiana state law, according to Keffer Hirschauer LLP, a law firm based in Indianapolis.
The charge can apply to cases in which “neglect led to the death of a dependent who was less than fourteen years old and the perpetrator is at least eighteen years old,” the law firm reports online.
In South Florida, a mother was arrested on child neglect charges after she allegedly abandoned her two children inside an Uber vehicle, according to police, Us previously reported.
An officer who met with the children found they were in “good health and spirit,” but noted the children shared they were “thirsty and hungry,” court documents say.
Their mother, Emily Sabogal, was charged with neglect of a child without great bodily harm and desertion of a child, according to court records.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
