Social workers’ trial linked to starvation death of disabled Philadelphia teen delayed
By APTuesday, February 2, 2010
Trial stemming from disabled teen’s death delayed
PHILADELPHIA — The trial of four former social workers in a case linked to the starvation death of a disabled Philadelphia teenager has been postponed after the dismissal of two jurors.
Attorneys said Tuesday that U.S. District Judge Stewart Dalzell discharged the jurors for reasons unrelated to specifics of the case.
Opening statements are now scheduled for Wednesday in the trial stemming from the death of Danieal Kelly. She was a 14-year-old with cerebral palsy who weighed just 42 pounds when she died in 2006 of starvation. Her mother later admitted to third-degree murder.
Prosecutors allege that now-defunct MultiEthnic Behavioral Health Inc. was supposed to care for the teen and others but billed the city for services it never performed and then tried to cover up by forging documents.
Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, www.philly.com
