The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office is investigating what Sheriff Paul Blackman called “a horrific crime” that took place in Sebring.
Deputies were called to 4015 Bianca St. in the Sun ‘n Lake of Sebring community at 12:19 a.m. Friday, November 15. When they arrived, they found a 13-year-old girl unresponsive on the floor next to the front door. She was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS.
Her adoptive mother, 34-year-old Diane Natasha Mack, told deputies she had found the girl unresponsive Thursday morning, but later said it was closer to 3 p.m. Regardless of when she made the discovery, she still took the time to drive the four other children who lived in the home to Titusville and return to Sebring before she called for help for her child, who was lying unresponsive on the floor of the home.
“As bad as that is, it only gets worse,” Sheriff Blackman said. “The girl, who was nude except for a diaper, had clearly been severely abused. She was extremely emaciated and obviously malnourished. Her body was covered in wounds in all stages of healing, including open lacerations that were clearly recently suffered.”
Further investigation of the home revealed evidence that indicates the girl, who was home-schooled, was restrained in the garage. Detectives don’t yet know how long she had been held there, but it appears she was secured to the garage door and monitored from inside the home by a security camera that had been mounted in the garage.
“While her child lay dead on the floor, the suspect had clearly used pool chlorine in an effort to destroy evidence in the garage before calling 911,” Sheriff Blackman said.
“This is one of the most disturbing crime scenes I have encountered in more than 30 years of law enforcement. There are no words I can say that can truly convey the nightmare that this child’s life must have been.
“Parents have a duty to love our children and make sure no harm comes their way. To see a child treated this way is not only heartbreaking, it is infuriating. What makes it even more appalling is that the suspect is a former employee of not only the Department of Children and Families, but also worked as a guardian ad-litem. That someone whose job it was to look after the welfare of children could treat their own child in this manner is simply beyond belief,” Sheriff Blackman said.
The agency’s Critical Incident Stress Management resources are being made available to all the deputies and detectives who have the duty to investigate this case.
“This is something that no amount of law enforcement experience can prepare you to face,” Sheriff Blackman said. “I can assure you that we will do everything in our power to make sure that there is justice for this child.”
As of now, the suspect is charged with first-degree murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse as well as aggravated child abuse, kidnapping, and destroying evidence. She is being held without bail in the Highlands County Jail.
