Four social workers were found guilty of fraud Wednesday after trying to cover up the death of a mentally disabled teenager that was found starved to death with maggot filled bedsores.
14-year-old Danieal Kelly who had cerebral palsy died in 2006 weighing only 42 pounds.
Kelly was found dead of obvious neglect, malnourished and covered in bedsores, some infected with maggots, the larva of house flies.
Prosecutors believe Mickal Kamuvaka, 60, Solomon Manamela, 52, and former caseworkers Julius Juma Murray, 52, and Miriam Coulebaly, 41 lied about visiting the child’s family and other needy households, creating false paperwork and defrauding the city of millions of dollars.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bea Witzleben spoke out against the defendants saying,
“Danieal Kelly paid the ultimate price for these defendants’ fraud, and we hope that this is some measure of justice for her and the other children who were the victims, really, of this fraud.”
The group is scheduled to be sentenced in June.
Kamuvaka could face nine to 11 years in prison; Manemala could get eight to 10, Murray, the caseworker assigned to the family, could receive five years while Coulebayly faces six to seven.
Kamuvaka and Murray will also stand trial for involuntary manslaughter.
The child’s mother is serving 20 to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to third-degree murder.
SMH….sooooo sad! Rest in peace Danieal!
