A Tuscon mother and grandmother are now facing first-degree murder charges for the gruesome death of a 9-year-old girl. According to reports, Paramedics were horrified after seeing lice crawling across the dead little girl’s face.
According to information from the Police Department, the minor lost her life due to a massive infestation of lice that caused her anemia in an advanced stage.
Sandra Kraykovich, 38, and Elizabeth Kraykovich, 64, are the mother and grandmother of the unidentified child who was found unresponsive by Tucson Fire Department officials when they responded to a 911 call. The deceased child was located at an apartment in the 8200 block of East Golf Links Road around 2.30 pm on March 22.
Court documents suggest that authorities were unable to resuscitate the child and noticed a “large amount of bugs began to cover her face.” The rescue workers also said there were “enormous amounts of lice in her hair.”
Medical Examiner Dr. Gregory Hess said the autopsy determined the girl died of “anemia from untreated lice infestation with malnutrition as a contributing factor.” The minor also had an accumulation of fluid in the lungs, liver necrosis, and iron deficiency.
Responding officers at the scene raised concerns regarding the living conditions and welfare of two other children in the household. The home, which was located inside a gated apartment complex, was described as dirty and in a general state of disarray.
An investigation was launched by detectives from the Child Physical Abuse Unit, who examined the residence and spoke to the adults and children in the household. Sandra and Elizabeth were subsequently charged with Class 2 felony child abuse.
‘AWM’ noted:
Police have since obtained text messages from the victim’s mother that prove she knew about the lice problem but did nothing to help treat it. Even though the lice infestation had gotten out of control, Sandra did not do the right thing, which was to take her girl to the clinic or go to the CVS and pick up the deliceing equipment.
On March 21, the day before her daughter was found unresponsive, Sandra texted her boyfriend the following: “OMG, babe. Listen, I’m in my room, and my mom called me. (redacted) was asking if I could check on her to make sure she isn’t dying.”
Unfortunately, the authorities in charge of the case also discovered that the brothers of the deceased minor also suffered from a serious infestation of lice, which is why they were taken into the custody of relatives.
It is worth mentioning that one of the older brothers told the researchers that their mother had tried to treat the lice with mouthwash. For her part, Sandra said she thought about taking her daughter to the hospital, but changed her mind when she found her sleeping on more than one occasion.
As for Elizabeth, the minor’s grandmother and who used to take care of her, she said she had sent multiple messages to Sandra, telling her that she could not take the girl to the ER because she was infested with lice and she would not take on the problem.
Sandra regrets her actions, telling police in an affidavit that “if she had sought medical care, (her daughter) would probably still be alive.”
In the end, carelessness and negligence claimed the life of the minor. The case is already sparking controversy and more than one group is asking for justice for the little girl.
