Toddler survives weeks eating only Ketchup & Mustard

KMBC-TV ^ | 09/30/03

[renosathug]

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Police in Florida say a 2-year-old girl survived by eating mustard, ketchup, rice and raw pasta -- after being left alone in an apartment for nearly three weeks while her mother was in jail.

Jacksonville police say the toddler was watching cartoons when she was eventually found by her father, who's separated from the girl's 22-year-old mother.

[prairiebreeze]

Florida department of children's welfare still a blaze of efficiency I see. (/sarc)

Prairie

[Aquinasfan]

I'm speechless.

[xrp]

Very sad. Why was the mother in jail?

[11th Earl of Mar]

How about 25 years in jail forj mom with nothing but ketchup and mustard to eat.

[gitmo]

Note: add lines to form for incoming prisoner.

Do you have any children or pets alone at your home?
Did you leave the stove on?

[metalboy]

[WL-law]

So Reagan was right -- ketchup IS a vegetable, after all...

[OXENinFLA]

I heard this while driving to work.

What a scumbag mother, she gets arrested and tells no one that she has a kid home alone.

I hope they just keep her in jail.

[OXENinFLA]

2-Year-Old Survives 2½ Weeks Alone
Toddler Eats Ketchup, Mustard, Dry Pasta; Watches TV

POSTED: 7:05 a.m. EDT September 30, 2003

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A 2-year-old left alone in an apartment for nearly three weeks after her mother was jailed survived by eating mustard, ketchup and raw pasta, police said Monday.

The toddler was watching cartoons when found by her father, police said. The youngster was suffering from malnutrition and was being treated at Wolfson Children's Hospital, police said.

The mother, jailed Sept. 10 in a separate case, was charged Monday with child abuse because she didn't let anyone know that her daughter was left alone in her apartment, police said.

Ogden Lee, who is separated from the girl's mother, said he had been trying to contact the two for weeks.

When a manager let him into the apartment, the youngster was lying in a baby's bathtub with a towel pulled over her and was watching a TV cartoon channel, he said. She was filthy and covered with dried ketchup, Lee said.

"She grabbed me and wouldn't let go of me," Lee told The Florida Times-Union. "It is really a miracle how good a shape my daughter is in. I don't know how she did it."

Lee, 33, said the girl had dragged the food, toys and other things into her mother's bedroom, where he found her.

Dakeysha Telita Lee, 22, was first arrested Sept. 10 on charges of aggravated assault and petit theft. Her jailers said late Monday they had no information on her legal representation.

Ogden Lee said he did not know until Sunday that his estranged wife had been arrested. He said he talked to her by telephone at the jail Sunday and was told his daughter was with neighbors, but not which neighbor.

Lee said he spent Sunday night knocking on neighbors' doors, then got a manager to open the door to his wife's apartment, where he found the child.

"It was the worst that I can imagine," he said. "I don't know how to describe it."

The couple, separated for a year, is in the process of getting a divorce, Lee said.

The Florida Department of Children & Families was notified but didn't immediately determine who will have custody of the child, police said. Calls to the hospital for information on the child's condition were referred back to police.

[tutstar]

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/093003/met_13663027.shtml

Mother jailed; tot alone 3 weeks

Girl, 2, scrounged for food, dad says

By Veronica Chapin

Times-Union staff writer

A 2-year-old girl was left alone in a Jacksonville apartment for nearly three weeks after her mother was arrested and jailed, police said yesterday.

The toddler was discovered yesterday afternoon by her father, who said she apparently drank ketchup and mustard and ate raw pasta and some rice that was in the refrigerator.

Ogden Lee, who is separated from the girl's mother, said he had been trying to contact the two for weeks.

Dakeysha Telita Lee faces child abuse charges after girl was found alone in her apartment.

When a manager let him into the Monument Road apartment, the youngster was lying in a baby's bathtub with a towel pulled over her and was watching a TV cartoon channel, he said.

She was filthy and covered with dried ketchup, Lee said.

"She grabbed me and wouldn't let go of me," he said. "It is really a miracle how good a shape my daughter is in. I don't know how she did it."

Lee, 33, said the girl had dragged the food, toys and other things into her mother's bedroom. He said he believes his daughter still slept in the room with her.

The youngster is suffering from malnutrition, police said, and is being treated at Wolfson Children's Hospital.

Police said Dakeysha Telita Lee, 22, was arrested Sept. 10 at Garden Ridge at 201 Monument Road, across the street from the Regency Square mall. She was charged with aggravated assault and petit theft from a building and is being held in the Montgomery Correctional Institute, police said.

Yesterday, she was also charged with child abuse after failing to let anyone know that her daughter was left alone in her apartment, police said.

Ogden Lee said he did not know his estranged wife had been arrested. He said he called her family and finally tried the jail Sunday.

He said he talked to her by phone and was told the girl was with neighbors but was not told who the neighbors were or which apartment they were in.

Lee said he spent Sunday night knocking on neighbors' doors.

The toddler was found about 1:30 p.m. yesterday at Spicewood Springs Apartment Complex after Lee got a manager to open the door.

Lee said there was no evidence that any other adult had been in his wife's apartment.

"It was the worst that I can imagine," he said. "I don't know how to describe it."

The Spicewood Springs manager could not be reached by the Times-Union last night because the office was closed. A phone call was not returned.

The couple, separated for a year, is in the process of getting a divorce, Lee said.

The Florida Department of Children and Families was notified and has not determined who will have custody of the child, police said.

Times-Union staff writer Dana Treen contributed to this report.

[FITZ]

The mother might be in jail for good reason ---- but you'd think she would have informed someone about the child being home alone. I doubt the police arrested her at her apartment and just left the two year alone --- most like the mother had already left her alone and arrested elsewhere.

[OXENinFLA]

Police said Dakeysha Telita Lee, 22, was arrested Sept. 10 at Garden Ridge at 201 Monument Road, across the street from the Regency Square mall. She was charged with aggravated assault and petit theft from a building and is being held in the Montgomery Correctional Institute, police said.

I guess she didn't want the police to know she left her child alone when she was arrested.

[The Great RJ]

Time was when the "feeble minded" were sterilized to keep them from having children. Perhaps we should bring back the practice.

[Onelifetogive]

Florida department of children's welfare still a blaze of efficiency I see.

The amazing part is that the child was better off than either the department of children's welfare or her mother would have made her!!!

[Ancesthntr]

Somehow or other, I'll bet that a screwball judge will give her custody of the little girl in the divorce decree.

[VRWC_minion]

My youngest boy has been eating like this for 7 years.

[bvw]

Cyncial but close to the truth in too many cases.

[whd23]

Dakeysha Telita Lee

Wait, let me put my surprised face on....

[cricket]

"Florida department of children's welfare still a blaze of efficiency I see. (/sarc)"

Incredible; am wondering however, while the Mother was in Jail; she was not in isolation; did she ever inquire as to the welfare of her child? Remember she left one at home? Call the Father to let him know his oversight might be needed?

Entire scenario of people here are worse than pathetic.