http://www.wkbw.com/Story.aspx?previ...NStoryID=14229
Buffalo Mom Charged with Manslaughter
Aug 22, 2006 - Prosecutors now say 18-month-old Destiny Staley may have been without water or any type of fluids for up to three days before she died of dehydration last month. Now the little girl's mother is under arrest for manslaughter. Prosecutors say Destiny died because her mom was reckless.
Twenty-year-old Victoria Winkler now faces manslaughter charges for the death of her 18-month-old daughter, last month. The day after Destiny died, Winkler admitted to 7 News she had left the baby alone in a hot room of her Potomoc Avenue home, on a 90-plus degree day.
"I was cleaning. Cleaning and running around," Winkler told 7 News on July 17th, one day after her daughter died, "I lost track of time and when I went up there to check on her, it was horrible."
Prosecutors say the baby died of dehydration after being neglected for up to three days. "Although the mother admits to 15-18 hours that the child hadn't been given fluids, our experts indicate to us it could have been as long as 48-72 hours," says Erie County District Attorney Frank Clark, "So, the child might as well have been in the middle of the Sahara desert."
"I just lost my daughter and I miss her and love her and I want her to come back," said Winkler through her tears on July 17th.
Winkler has no criminal record, but could face up to 15 years in prison if she's convicted of manslaughter. "She's inconsolable in the death of her daughter, and to be charged as responsible in it puts more tragedy on an already tragic situation," said Winkler's attorney Karen Korkuc on Tuesday afternoon.
"How long was the baby in that room that hot without fluids? Three hours? Well it's an accident," explains Clark, "The longer you go beyond that the more it goes away from accident and goes toward criminal negligence or recklessness."
Winkler was arraigned on the manslaughter charge Tuesday afternoon, and her bail is set at $50,000 dollars. Her attorney says they'll probably file another motion to try to have her bail reduced.
This is the story where Mom's boyfriend told reporter- He didn't give any fluids or check on her because....
Not my my kid or it hasn't been proven yet!