How Could You? Hall of Shame-13-Year-Old Adopted Girl case-Child Death

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Sebring, Florida, former DCF employee and adoptive mother, Diana Natasha Mack, “is accused of murdering her [13-year-old] adopted daughter in ‘one of the worst crime scenes’ the Highlands County Sheriff has ever seen. 

Deputies said when they were called to a home in the Sun ‘n Lake community of Sebring shortly after midnight on Friday, they found a 13-year-old girl unresponsive on the floor next to the front door. She was pronounced dead by EMS. 

According to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, the child’s adoptive mother, Diana Natasha Mack, 34, told deputies she found the girl unresponsive on Thursday morning, but later said it was closer to 3 p.m.

Yet, investigators say Mack drove the other four children who lived in the home to Titusville and didn’t call for help for the teen who lay unresponsive on the floor until after she returned 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.”

Investigators say the home-schooled teen was restrained in the garage. Detectives don’t 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 their 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 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.”

She has been charged with first-degree murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse as well as aggravated child abuse, kidnapping, and destroying evidence.

HCSO’s Critical Incident Stress Management resources are being made available to all the deputies and detectives who are working on this case. 

“This is something that no amount of law enforcement experience can prepare you to face,” Blackman said. “I can assure you that we will do everything in our power to make sure that there is justice for this child.”

Mack is being held without bail in the Highlands County Jail.”

Former DCF employee accused of abusing, killing adopted daughter in Sebring: ‘Horrific crime’

[Fox 13 11/15/24]

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