A Colorado mother who sought donations to cover medical treatments for her daughter and promoted the girl’s “bucket list” of dreams to fulfill before she died has been indicted on a murder charge in the 7-year-old’s death that was previously believed to be from a terminal disease.
In a grand jury indictment revealed Monday, Kelly Renee Turner, 41, also known as Kelly Gant, was charged with 13 criminal counts that included child abuse, theft and charitable fraud in the death of Olivia Gant in 2017.
The indictment alleges Turner caused Olivia Gant’s 2017 death, not the multiple illnesses that the mother claimed the girl had and that prompted publicized ride-alongs with police and fire crews. The Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to critically ill children, also paid about $11,000 for a “bat princess” costume party for her.
Turner was arrested Friday at a Denver-area hotel and held without bond, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said. It is not clear if she has an attorney who could speak on her behalf. This already sounds too much like the Gypsy Rose Blanchard case! Only thing is, this child was still too young to realize she wasn’t sick at all. Gypsy killed her mother because of this madness, this poor little girl was probably healthy and due to her mothers metal illness she suffered a terrible childhood and death.
Olivia’s actual cause of death was not immediately clear. It was originally attributed to intestinal failure, according to the indictment issued Thursday.
Her body was exhumed last year, and an autopsy found no physical evidence of that illness or other conditions that Turner claimed the girl suffered, including seizure disorder and a buildup of fluid in cavities deep within the brain. Olivia’s death is now listed as undetermined.
Investigators say Olivia had been using a feeding tube and was admitted in July 2017 to Children’s Hospital Colorado, where doctors said her nutrition was deficient.
One doctor told investigators that Turner wanted to withdraw all medical care and artificial feeding for her daughter because her quality of life was so bad. He said she insisted that he sign a “do not resuscitate” order for her daughter. This is a huge red flag for me, who in their right mind doesn’t want their kid resuscitated?? Obviously this psychopath!
Doctors had said Olivia wouldn’t be able to survive on IV nutrition, and Turner was given the option of taking her home on hospice care, according to the indictment. Olivia died a few weeks later. So she knew it would kill her daughter and yet she still continued.
Several doctors who were interviewed said Olivia did not have a terminal condition. The girl started getting treatment at the hospital in 2013 after moving from Texas, where Turner’s husband stayed behind.
The investigation into Olivia’s death began after doctors at the hospital became suspicious last year after Turner brought in her older daughter because of “bone pain,” according to the indictment.
During an interview, investigators said Turner spontaneously brought up Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychological disorder in which parents or caregivers seek attention from the illness of their children or dependents and sometimes cause them injuries that require attention. It can sometimes be caused by trauma, or for just wanting the sad attention. Not to mention the money from all the generous people who will believe the lies. Saddest part is, their are actually sick children out there suffering and need the help this woman was taking! I think this woman in particular was self aware of her actions, meaning she could’ve stopped or tried to seek help for herself to protect her children. Mental illness is real but as a parent we must be self aware! Children depend on us for everything especially keeping them safe and healthy. Also Doctors are supposed to trust the parents to be truthful that way UN needed medical procedures don’t get preformed.
“That has never been my case, like at all, whatsoever,” she said in the interview. So even worse, she was aware of the shit she was doing and just still didn’t see the wrong in it.
During the investigation, authorities separated Turner from her older daughter to see if the girl would still report the same symptoms. The daughter has not had any additional medical problems or complaints of pain since October 2018. This is just more proof that their mother was possibly causing these illnesses. Since she lost the “sick” 7 year old who was getting her so much attention, I guess she started targeting her other child. I’m glad the doctors seemed to catch on and investigate the crazy woman. Who knows how long it’d have taken for her to take her other child’s life. It’s baffling me a mother could even do such a thing. Unfortunately crazy usually doesn’t know they’re crazy, so they may think they’re doing the right thing. In reality they are the problem, and why torture your child! They need and trust us to help them not make them sick and eventually kill them. People like her don’t deserve children in my opinion. This is a serious psychological disorder that seems to be more common than we even want to admit to ourselves. The need for love and attention of caring for a sick child is their obsession, or sad attention in general. Hypochondriacs are similar they just target themselves usually, but this is fucking cruel. She should be locked away for putting that poor child through all of that mess. She could’ve had a happy normal life if she’d only had a different mother. I don’t have many facts on the father but I will update as the trial goes on and more information is released.
The daughters were ensured by Medicaid, and Turner is accused of fraudulently obtaining about $539,000 worth of care from the government-funded program.
Children’s Hospital Colorado will not speak on the case in fear of compromising it all together.
In closing I’ll just say keep your eyes open for parents like this. There are warning signs, just like with other mental illnesses. It’s one thing to have a sick child or baby but once you find out whats wrong why look for more sinister issues? Never lie to a doctor about your child or exaggerate or they may give the wrong type of treatment. By all means treat and care for your children, but DO NOT use them as a conduit or a pawn to get attention and personal gain (like money donations that aren’t needed) because in reality someone else’s kid may need that treatment or that money you keep taking. Watch your kids and hold them a little tighter tonight, this little girl deserved a better mommy and I hope she is no longer in pain. Turner I believe was very aware of her actions and was told by multiple doctors that her daughter had no terminal illness and yet she kept on. I hope she is punished to the fullest extent of the law.