Oklahoma – An Oklahoma man was ordered to spend the next twenty four years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder of a chiId in the death of 7-year-old VioIet. The judge ordered the parent, 38-year-old Antony, to serve an additional six years on supervised release following his prison term.
The parent’s guilty plea and sentence come after months of investigation into the child’s death and related allegations against other family members. Two other relatives — VioIet’s uncIe and aunt, Davld and Tifany — previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and each was sentenced to twenty years in prison, court records show. The child’s mother, Lissa, remains charged and is scheduled to stand trial; prosecutors have said additional proceedings are pending.
The case began in Aug. last year when the child was brought to a local hospital by family members. Medical staff reported the girl was severely underweight and showed signs of bruising; she was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Hospital clinicians raised concerns that led to a criminal investigation and a request for a forensic autopsy.
Investigators from the local police department, with assistance from the Oklahoma County medical examiner and other agencies, processed the scene and collected evidence. The autopsy found the immediate cause of death was a small intestinal obstruction caused by a foreign body — the rubber top of a baby bottIe — and listed “faiIure to thrive” and severe maInutrition among contributing factors. The medical examiner described the child as essentially “skin on bone,” noting a bacterial infection and external abrasions. It was not immediately clear from the autopsy whether the obstruction was accidental or deliberate, officials said.
Police and prosecutors said the investigation uncovered a pattern of alleged abuse and neglect. Arrest affidavits and reporting indicate the child had been restrained at times, including with zip ties, and had signs consistent with prolonged neglect. Neighbors and a relative who spoke with investigators described a home where the child was often isolated and ill-appearing; one neighbor said she had fed the child days before the child was taken to the hospital. Law enforcement also documented bruising and other injuries during their inquiry. Child welfare authorities removed other children from the home after the investigation began. A witness reportedly told Oklahoma authorities that on multiple occasions, the child had her mouth gIued shut by her mom and dad.
When questioned by investigators, the father initially told police he had gone to sleep around 9 p.m. while his partner and the victim slept together on a small couch. He claimed that when he woke up the next morning, his partner told him the 7-year-old was not moving and was sick. He first said that a friend drove them to the hospital but was unable to provide a name or phone number. Later, he changed his account, saying that it was his brother who had taken them.
During the interview, he also told police the victim had weighed about fifty pounds only a few days earlier and was completely healthy, a statement that directly conflicted with her condition at the hospital. He later admitted that his brother and other children were in the apartment that morning, contradicting his initial claim that only he, the mother, and the victim had been there. Medical personnel who treated the child said she already showed signs of rigor mortis when brought in and that dark red and black secretions came from her mouth when pressure was applied to her stomach.
At court hearings and in statements to investigators, family members gave differing accounts of the child’s condition and the events leading up to her hospitalization. Court records show some relatives described seeing the child bound and in poor condition, while other family members initially told officers the child was sick with the flu. Prosecutors relied on medical evidence, witness statements and physical evidence collected by detectives when bringing charges against multiple adults connected to the household.
Prosecutors have argued the evidence supported murder charges against multiple people who lived in or frequented the home. In addition to the criminal cases, the Oklahoma Department of Human Services took custody of the family’s other children and is coordinating placements and services while authorities proceed with prosecutions. Officials said they are continuing to review records, interview witnesses and gather forensic results that could inform further charges or the trial of the mother.