LAKELAND, Fla. — A couple from Indiana has been arrested after a 22-day-old infant starved to death in Lakeland, according to authorities.
The Polk County Medical Examiner's Office ruled last week's death of Betsey Kee Stephens as a homicide because she had been dead for 3 1/2 hours before her parents called 911 from a Golden Corral restaurant.
The medical examiner's findings revealed that the baby died of malnutrition as a result of starvation.
The child's mother, 23-year-old Ruby Stephens, told detectives she was breastfeeding the infant while the family drove from Indiana to Florida. But her story unravelled when she revealed that her husband, 48-year-old Roy Stephens, knew he was not the father of the infant, investigators said.
"The obvious infidelity did cause some strain on the marriage. It did appear to cause some problems and Roy did not pay the attention to the child that you would think that most fathers or maybe a stepfather would," said Assistant Chief Mike Link, with Lakeland police.
Officers said there were two other children with the couple, but they were well cared for. The couple is believed to have starved the baby intentionally, police said.
"This was senseless. There was no need for this. This child was starved to death. Can you imagine the pain and suffering she went through? This child couldn't defend herself. She's helpless," said Link.
According to investigators, the child had been starved to death almost from the time she was born. The medical examiner determined that there was no food in the baby's stomach or large intestine, and they said she had lost significant weight since being born on Dec. 1.
The other children are in the custody of the Florida Department of Children and Families.
WFTV
