First responders said she’d been dead for “some period of time”, meaning the baby survived on her own for several days.
Advertisement
The 15-month-old was living with her grandmother because her mother, Tracy Ineichen, is now in jail at the Blount County Detention Center, according to WATE.
Tracy got anxious when she hadn’t heard from her mother. He could see the child in her crib with her arms reached out, crying for attention.
She said she wasn’t aware anything was wrong, especially since the front door was open and the family often keeps to themselves. When he picked her up, he said she was weak, smelled of urine, and her lips were swollen.
“When I grabbed her, she just couldn’t hold her head up”, Waldo told WVLT. “She was just hugging on me and collapsed on me”, Waldo said.
There was no sign of Annette Ineichen, but when he tried to open a bathroom door, something was blocking it from opening more than a few inches.
The boyfriend then called police and Tracy, who asked him to kick in the door to the house.
The 15-month old was taken to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and treated for severe dehydration and lack of food. She was later released into the care of the Department of Children’s Services.
“Based on the condition of the body, we think somewhere between three and five days, but that’s just a speculation for now”, Crisp said. She is believed to have died from a medical issue, according to reports.
Waldo said he’s concerned about who will get custody of the child next.
One of the neighbours said part of the tragedy was that they did not know anything was wrong, . The last time anyone spoke to the woman was November 7, and she was found on November 14.
Advertisement
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the girl and for funeral expenses.
