Amber Hampshire, 39, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the life and health of a child more than a month after her daughter, Emily, died from diabetic ketoacidosis in November.
An Illinois woman was arrested in the death of her 14-year-old daughter for allegedly concealing the teen's diabetes from doctors until it was too late to save her, officials said.
Amber Hampshire, 39, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and endangering the life and health of a child more than a month after her daughter, Emily, died from diabetic ketoacidosis in November.
Hampshire allegedly prevented caregivers from knowing the full extent of Emily’s medical condition, authorities said.
“What the charges allege that she [Hampshire] unintentionally killed her daughter by committing acts which were likely to cause death or great bodily harm,” Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons told The Telegraph. “And the meat and potatoes of the allegation is that she took measures to conceal Emily’s diabetes.”
Emily was rushed to the hospital after a 911 call was made Nov. 1 reporting an unresponsive 14-year-old girl at her home.
She was taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital and then transferred in “poor condition” to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, where her mother told medical staff that Emily had been treated in the past year for pneumonia. Hampshire said Emily had been treated at St. Louis Children’s Hospital where she had “high sugars at the time, but insulin was not needed and she was never prescribed insulin,” according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by the Telegraph.
However, Hampshire allegedly refused to allow the release of medical records from St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Emily’s condition worsened, and she was pronounced dead at 4:09 p.m. Nov. 3.
Medical staff at Cardinal Glennon were eventually able to obtain Emily’s medical records from the other hospital, which showed she had been diagnosed with diabetes in November 2013. Both Emily and her mother were aware of the diagnosis, the affidavit said.
In February 2018, Emily was admitted to St. Louis Children’s Hospital with pneumonia and diabetic ketoacidosis, and was prescribed insulin as “routine medicine” for after her release. She and her mother were also provided with information on Emily’s medical and dietary needs, and three follow-up appointments were scheduled at the hospital, the Telegraph reported.
But Emily never came back, and there was no indication that the prescription for insulin was ever filled, officials said.
Emily was enrolled at the Evangelical United Church School, where her mother was an employee. Hampshire allegedly told school administrators that the medical plan for Emily they had received from doctors was false and to disregard the notice.
A search warrant executed at Hampshire’s home showed there were products meant to treat diabetes left unused, including insulin delivery devices, a blood glucose monitoring system and two unused Glucagon emergency injection kits prescribed to Emily.
Hampshire turned herself in to the Alton Police Department Thursday. Her bail was set at $100,000. If convicted of the charges she’s facing, Hampshire could be sentenced up to 14 years.
RELATED STORIES
