Sentencing today for Danieal Kelly’s father, social workers

    Daniel Kelly, Dana Poindexter and Mickal Kamuvaka will be sentenced today for the 2006 death of 14-year-old Danieal Kelly.

    Poindexter, Kamuvaka and Daniel Kelly were found guilty in July with the girl’s starvation death. Daniel is Danieal’s father, and Poindexter and Kamuvaka were social workers assigned to assist the teenager and supervise her care.

    Update, 1:30 p.m. All three defendants have been sentenced to 2.5 to 5 years in a state correctional facility.

    Update, 12 p.m. Closing arguments are underway, WHYY/NewsWorks’ Lizz Fiedler reports from the courtroom. Daniel Kelly’s lawyer has called on the judge to give his client time served.
    No one testified on Daniel Kelly’s behalf, but three testified on Kamuvaka’s behalf, including very emotional testimony by her daughter. Ten people including family, long-time friends and former DHS coworkers testified on behalf of Dana Poindexter, calling him a compassionate, nurturing man.
    Kamuvaka’s lawyer is now pointing to the problems at DHS, Andrea Kelly’s actions and other adults’ inaction for causing the girl’s death.

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    Daniel Kelly was convicted of endangering the welfare of a child Danieal died in the care of her mother, despite her father’s reported knowledge of his daughter being neglected. The care workers were found guilty of endangerment, perjury and other charges.

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