A Colorado mother who profited from her daughter’s terminal illness, culminating in the child’s death, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
A judge sentenced Kelly Turner to 16 years in prison for fatally abusing her 7-year-old daughter, Olivia Gant, and lying about the child’s health in order to seek handouts from local charities. Olivia died from poor treatment in 2017.
“This truth about Olivia has caused such a deep pain that it continues to ravage me every day,” said Olivia’s grandfather, Lonnie Gautreau, in a statement read by prosecutors, reported 9 News.
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Turner faced 16 years for child abuse causing death, 10 years for theft, and three years for charitable fraud. However, the judge resolved that Turner would face the sentences concurrently, which means she will only serve 16 years in prison and three years on probation.
Turner had been arrested in 2019 and pleaded guilty in January to charges of child abuse causing death, theft, and charitable fraud. A grand jury indicted Turner of faking Olivia’s medical issues, including the decision to withdraw a feeding tube and imposing a “Do not resuscitate” order. The indictment also alleged that Turner had defrauded Medicaid of more than $538,000 and tricked two foundations into giving the family extraordinary experiences at no expense to her.
Turner also scammed hundreds of donors online through a personal donation page, the indictment alleged.
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Turner’s lawyer pushed back on these allegations, maintaining that Olivia had terminal medical conditions and that medical professionals had determined the necessary treatments for the young girl, not Turner.
