According to the Associated Press and the New York Times, the parents charged with the starvation death of their chronically ill and bedridden daughter are suing the City of Philadelphia for wrongful death. Andrea and Daniel Kelly are both arguing that dangerous and reckless actions by several municipal employees and several contract workers were integral in 14-year-old Danieal Kelly’s untimely’s death.
The mother, Andrea, has been charged with murder after her daughter, who suffered from cerebral palsy died in her home in 2006 from a combination of maggot-infested bedsores and malnutrition. The father, Daniel Kelly of Darby, Pennsylvania, faces the less but still serious charge of child endangerment.
Prosecution lawyers are outraged by the charges, which the defense lawyers say stems from the continued interests of the victim’s siblings. The wrongful death suit was filed in August and seeks damages for funeral costs, medical bills, and other related expenses.