An Indiana couple is facing serious charges after they repeatedly failed to give their 15-year old, Type 1 diabetic daughter insulin, nearly killing the girl, according to a recent article posted on the Fox 41 website.
Steve, the girl’s father, and Shelly Wilburn, the girl’s stepmother, were arrested on charges of neglecting a dependent and held on $75,000 bond. The teen has been hospitalized several times due to ketoacidosis, a sometimes fatal condition resulting from a lack of insulin in the body. With ketoacidosis, the body cannot turn sugar into fuel due to the lack of insulin, so it burns fat instead. This process also results in acids known as ketones being released into the blood.
A probable cause affidavit cited by Fox, notes that the girl was neglected beginning in February 2004 and continuing through late July 2010. She was first diagnosed in mid-2002 at the age of 7. She was admitted to the hospital in January 2007 and February 2009 because of diabetic ketoacidosis. In September 2009, she was admitted to the hospital yet again, and was then placed in state’s custody.
In early June 2010, she was allowed to return home for a trial visit, but in late July was admitted to the hospital again with diabetic ketoacidosis. Her parents were accused of failing to fill her prescription for insulin for five days.
“It should be noted that the level of acidosis in July ‘10 was profound, affecting level of consciousness and putting [name withheld] at significant risk of brain swelling, coma and death,” according to an affidavit citing Dr. Andrea Taroli of the UofL Division of Forensic Medicine. “The most disturbing aspect of this case is the delay in seeking medical care in July — for a period of about 12 hours, the child progressed to an obtunded state.”
A family friend told Fox that Steve gave up truck driving to stay home and take care of the girl, who he said had “real irregular” blood sugar levels. The friend said the couple tried “everything under the sun” to keep the girl’s blood sugar levels regulated.
The Wilburns will be in court on Oct. 26th.
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