hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Police: TN couple forced daughter to drink soda, killed her
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Police: TN couple forced daughter to drink soda, killed her
Surgoinsville - A little over two years after five-year-old Alexa Linboom was taken off life support, her parents have been charged in her death. It is alleged they forced her to drink a large quantity of grape soda and water to punish her.
The two-year investigation was completed earlier this week when indictments were handed down against Randall Lee Vaughn, 41, and Mary Lavonne Vaughn, 58. The father and stepmother of Alexa were arrested by the Hawkins County Sheriff's Office and made their first appearance in court on Friday. The Tennessee couple are both charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and two counts of aggravated child neglect. Under Tennessee law, any death that results during the course of child abuse constitutes first-degree murder. Prosecutors have not yet determined whether they will seek the death penalty on the first-degree murder charge. If convicted and not sentenced to death, the couple face a maximum punishment of 60 years in prison. It is alleged on Jan. 1, 2012, Alexa took a sip of her stepmother's grape soda without asking permission. According to District Attorney General Berkeley Bell, the Vaughns forced Alexa to drink 4.5 12-ounce containers of grape soda as well as a quantity of water as punishment. After drinking the unknown quantity of liquids, Alexa began screaming in pain and exhibited several signs of medical distress. Bell said, "They also failed to take care of the child once she was injured. Our position is it was a matter of several hours, after the child started exhibiting serious symptoms, after the child was screaming out in pain, went into a paralyzed state, and became unconscious." Eventually the couple took the unconscious little girl to the emergency room of the Hawkins County Memorial Hospital. Later that day, Alexa was airlifted to the Niswonger Children's Hospital in Johnson City where it was determined she was brain dead. The kindergarten student died on Jan. 3 after she was taken off life support. An autopsy determined the cause of death as being "acute fluid/water intoxication." The large amount of liquids, consumed over a two hour period, caused her sodium level to drop and her brain to swell. Children who are in second grade and went to school with Alexa are being forced to relive her death. One friend said, "She was a nice friend and everything. And she played with me on the playground, and she swung and we went down the slides and played tag." The Vaughns are being held in the Hawkins County Justice Center on $500,000 bonds. They pleaded not guilty in court on Friday and their trial is scheduled to begin on Oct. 20.
hollywoodtone.blogspot.com Police: TN couple forced daughter to drink soda, killed her