By the age of 6, Dani in no way resembled other kids her
age. She spoke only in grunts, her body emaciated and clad in a wet diaper, lice
infested her hair, she walked sideways on her toes, couldn’t speak or chew
food, sucked at her fists like an infant, didn’t react to hot or cold or pain
and lived in a room the size of a closet. When police in Plant City, Florida
extricated her from her squalor, one officer wretched in the bushes from the
abject filth and fecal of the home where Dani lived. Fecal matter and maggots
covered the surfaces. An investigator for the Florida Department of Children
and Families sobbed at the sight, calling it the “worst case (she) had ever
seen.”
Danielle's birth mother, Michelle Crockett, was charged with
child abuse and faced 20 years in prison. And yet, the woman refused to give up
parental rights to a child she had given less care to than a stray dog. Who
would want to adopt such a child anyhow?
Such people exist and luckily for Dani, just happened to
live in Florida. Diane and Bernie Lierow took in the girl; Dani has been living
with the Lierows and their son since 2007. Dani, now 10, has been diagnosed
with “environmental autism.” She is slow to do things on her own, still throws
violent fits and it’s not clear if some of her developmental ability has been
damaged forever.
But at least now she has a chance, which is a world more
than what she had before.
In return for signing away the rights to Dani, Michelle will
not serve any jail time, but instead was placed on house arrest for 2 years.
Photo: [MELISSA LYTTLE | Times]
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