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A28 u.s. news
Diahuebs 10 Februari 2022

Colorado mom who abused 7-year-old to death faces sentencing

Turner moved to Colorado August. A lawyer represent-
from Texas with her three ing the grandparents said she
daughters and told doctors could not comment further.
over the years, beginning in
2012, that her daughter Ol- Before Olivia was admitted
ivia was sick with numerous to hospice care where she
ailments and diseases, con- died, doctors said she had
vincing medical profession- only been receiving 30% of
als to perform surgeries and the required nutrition, ac-
fill prescriptions for illnesses cording to the indictment.
that she didn’t have.
Throughout Turner’s cam-
Several doctors said that paign to bring attention to her
Turner was the primary dying daughter, she sought
source of information for donations to help fulfill Oliv-
Olivia’s medical history, ac- ia’s dreams of catching a bad
cording to the indictment. guy with police and being a
Investigators discovered firefighter. A video put out by
blogs, a GoFundMe site and a suburban Denver munici-
(AP) — In late summer and charitable foundations charged with several counts news stories in which Turner pal government shows Olivia
2017, Olivia Gant cheer- like Make-A-Wish, which of first-degree murder, at- described Olivia’s various riding on a truck, putting out
fully sang Hakuna Matata even threw a “bat princess” tempt to influence a public health conditions without a dumpster fire and telling
from “The Lion King” costume party for Olivia at a servant and forgery. medical proof — includ- firefighters to stand at atten-
as she was wheeled into hotel that cost $11,000. ing claims that she suffered tion — all of which are met
hospice care in Denver Turner is in custody pending from a seizure disorder, a tu- with the little girl’s smiles
wearing purple pajamas. The girl’s cause of death sentencing. mor and a buildup of fluid in and laughter despite several
“It means no worries for was first listed as intestinal the cavities deep within her medical tubes poking out of
the rest of your days,” she failure, but an autopsy later Psychiatrists say Turner’s be- brain. her backpack.
sang. The 7-year-old died found no evidence of that havior seems consistent with
less than a month later. condition. Authorities have Munchausen syndrome by At Olivia’s first ER visit, a While Turner’s behavior
not said what killed her but, proxy, a psychological dis- doctor thought she appeared raised suspicions along the
The video put out by her according to the indictment, order increasingly featured to be growing normally. But way, it was only after Olivia
mother Kelly Turner is one of doctors went along with in movies and television in the next year, a surgeon at the died in hospice care in 2017
many clips highlighting the Turner’s push to stop feeding which parents or caregiv- same hospital removed part and Turner brought her older
little girl’s battle with disease her daughter. ers seek attention from the of her small intestine and in- daughter to the same hospital
and death, which authorities illness of their children or serted a feeding tube. with bone pain that doctors
say was used by her mother On Wednesday in a court- dependents and sometimes decided to take a closer look.
to dupe doctors and call for room in Denver, Turner will cause them injuries. But ex- The actions prompted a $25
favors and donations to help be sentenced after pleading perts say these types of cases million claim against the Prosecutors declined to say
ease her daughter’s pain. guilty last month to child are not easy to detect. She hospital system by Olivia’s if Turner still had custody of
abuse resulting in death, brought up the syndrome on grandparents and father, ar- her other two children. The
Authorities say Turner spent charitable fraud and theft her own during an interview guing that the hospital failed older daughter has not re-
years fabricating her daugh- between $100,000 and $1 with investigators and denied to do their duties as manda- ported any additional medi-
ter’s illness, gaining sympathy million, according to pros- she had it. tory reporters of child abuse. cal problems or complaints
from television news stories ecutors. Turner had also been The case was resolved in of pain since October 2018.

Prosecutors: 2 Hawaii lawmakers took bribes to steer bills

(AP) — A Hawaii state family visiting from Tahiti. casino chips and four cash licly financed cesspool con-
senator and a state repre- English, 54, announced his payments totaling $23,000. version projects.” Around the same time,
sentative took bribes in- retirement in May 2021, say- English received the same
cluding envelopes of cash, ing he was suffering from A voicemail message left for In December 2019, the busi- amount for his legislative as-
Las Vegas hotel rooms and long-term effects of CO- Cullen at his office was not ness owner, identified in sistance and told Person A, “I
New Orleans casino chips VID-19. The Democrat rep- immediately returned. It was both court documents as can definitely use that right
in exchange for shaping resented east Maui, Molokai unclear if an attorney repre- “Person A”, asked Cullen if now. All the mortgages have
cesspool legislation, ac- and Lanai. sents him. they needed any “help,” and become due,” according to
cording to federal allega- Cullen said he was “paying his charging document.
tions filed in court Tues- “Kalani is extremely remorse- House Speaker Scott Saiki plenty debt.” The following
day. ful and deeply sorry for his said Cullen submitted his month, he received an en- Person A also later paid them
actions,” his attorney, Richard resignation Tuesday. Saiki velope with $5,000, Cullen’s to help kill the bills, the court
Former Senate majority Sing, said in a statement. “He said the Hawaii Democratic charging document said. documents said.
leader J. Kalani English tried has cooperated fully with the Party will now need to begin
unsuccessfully to hide an en- Federal Government and will the process of nominating a
velope with a $5,000 bribe be taking formal responsibil- replacement for Cullen.
when FBI agents stopped his ity in the form of a guilty plea
vehicle in January 2021 after to be completed in the com- Cullen represented Waipahu
a meeting with a business ing days.” and West Loch on Oahu.
owner who benefited from
the cesspool legislation, ac- A spokesperson for the state It was not clear if Cullen and
cording to a charging docu- senate, Jacob Aki, said the English received the alleged
ment. senate was “unaware of these bribes from the same person.
allegations.” He declined fur-
In all, English received more ther comment. Separate charging documents
than $18,000 in bribes, prose- for each lawmaker said the
cutors said, including Las Ve- A charging document against bribe payer was someone
gas hotel rooms and cash for state Rep. Ty Cullen, 41, said having a business “well posi-
a crab dinner for friends and bribes he received included tioned to avail itself of pub-