Mother accused of faking daughter’s illness, killing her

Olivia Gant died at just seven years old, supposedly from a terminal illness. Now her mum has been charged with her murder.

Olivia Gant died at seven, supposedly of a terminal illness. Now her mother has been charged with her murder.

A Colorado mother who sought donations to cover medical treatments for her daughter and promoted the girl’s “bucket list” of dreams to fulfil before she died has been indicted on a murder charge over the seven-year-old’s death.

It had been previously believed Olivia Gant had died as the result of a terminal disease in 2017.

Kelly Renee Turner is accused of killing her daughter. Picture: Denver Police Department

In a grand jury indictment, the girl’s mother, Kelly Renee Turner, 41, was charged with 13 criminal counts that included child abuse, theft and charitable fraud.

The indictment alleges Turner caused Olivia’s death and not the multiple illnesses the mother claimed the girl suffered from that prompted much-publicised ride-alongs with police and fire crews.

The Make A Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to critically ill children, also paid about $A16,000 for a “bat princess” costume party for the girl.

Turner was arrested on Friday at a Denver hotel and held without bond. Picture: Supplied

Turner was arrested on Friday at a Denver hotel and held without bond, the Douglas County sheriff’s office said.

Olivia’s actual cause of death is not immediately clear. It was originally attributed to intestinal failure, according to the indictment issued on Thursday.

Her body was exhumed in 2018 and an examination found no physical evidence of that illness or other conditions Turner claimed the girl suffered from, including seizure disorder and a build-up of fluid in cavities deep within the brain.

Olivia’s death is now listed as undetermined.

Olivia made her way through a ‘bucket list’ planned by Turner, which included a day spent with Denver Police that went viral. Picture: Denver Police Department

Investigators say Olivia had been using a feeding tube and was admitted in July 2017 to the Children’s Hospital Colorado, where doctors said her nutrition was deficient.

One doctor told investigators that Turner wanted to withdraw all medical care and artificial feeding for her daughter because her quality of life was so bad.

He said she insisted he should sign a “do not resuscitate” order for her daughter.

A Go Fund Me account started by Turner received more than $20,000.

Doctors had said Olivia would not be able to survive on IV nutrition, and Turner was given the option of taking her home on hospice care, according to the indictment.

Olivia died a few weeks later. Several doctors who were interviewed said Olivia did not have a terminal condition.

The girl started receiving treatment at the hospital in 2013 after moving from Texas, where Turner’s husband stayed behind.

The investigation into Olivia’s death began after doctors at the hospital became suspicious in 2018 after Turner brought in her older daughter because of “bone pain”, according to the indictment.

It is not yet known if Olivia was a victim of Munchausen by proxy, a form of abuse where a parent or guardian fabricates or exaggerates sickness in a child to get sympathy and attention. Gypsy Rose Blanchard is serving a 10-year prison sentence for second degree murder in the death of her mother Dee Dee, who had forced Gypsy Rose to pretend she was sick for most of her life.