32-year-old Karina Fortune pleaded guilty last Friday to Aggravated Child Abuse and was sentenced to 25 years in the Florida Department of Corrections. Her arrest earlier this month followed an investigation into the severe abuse of a 13-month-old child in her care.
On March 22, Citrus County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) detectives responded to a report concerning a potentially missing or abducted infant. The child’s grandmother reported leaving the baby with Fortune earlier in the week. Upon the infant’s return, the grandmother noticed extensive makeup covering the child’s face and body, initially causing her to believe it wasn’t her grandchild. Further examination revealed the makeup was an attempt to conceal horrific physical injuries.
A medical examination confirmed the infant had suffered extensive bruising, burn marks, a broken arm, a fractured collarbone, and severe dehydration. Fortune provided numerous inconsistent and false explanations to investigators. Detective Levi Garrison ultimately obtained a confession in which Fortune admitted to stepping on the child’s body, feeding the child scalding-hot formula, and concealing the injuries out of fear of discovery.
Special Victims Detective Levi Garrison stated, “This is a very disturbing and tragic case of child abuse, and it’s great to hear that the victim is now in a safe, loving environment and recovering. The timeline provided outlines a series of events that show the escalation of the abuse and the defendant’s attempts to evade responsibility. Special thanks to the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office, ASA Yeager, Jessie’s Place–Citrus County Children’s Advocacy Center, responding deputies, and medical professionals for providing much-needed care for the victim.”
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.