SEABECK, Wash. -- Court
documents obtained by KIRO 7 Eyewitness News on Monday described
"gruesome evidence" in the case of a woman who is accused of
killing an 8-year-old boy she had adopted.
An affidavit of probable cause
outlined "unthinkable acts of child abuse that spanned several
years," said KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Jeff Dubois.
According to the documents
prepared by prosecutors, Kimberly Ann Forder made Christopher
Michael Forder sleep in a crib, eat dog food and wear soiled
diapers on his head as punishment, among other alleged acts of
abuse and neglect.
Kimberly Forder, 43, pleaded
not guilty at a court appearance on Monday afternoon. She is
being held on $1 million bail for investigation of homicide by
abuse and manslaughter.
The boy died in November 2002.
Kitsap County Sheriff's Detective Lori Blankenship told
reporters what she saw when she was called to the Seabeck house
where the boy had died.
"I saw a lifeless young boy who
appeared to be battered, multiple bruises throughout his body,"
she said.
Blankenship said she suspected
abuse but could not prove it until this summer, when one of
Christopher's adult sisters told a case worker that Christopher
died because his mother refused to take him to a doctor for his
breathing problems.
Since then, two more siblings
told police Kimberly Forder began abusing Christopher right
after she adopted him.
Forder was arrested as she
returned to Kitsap County for medical treatment from Liberia,
where she and her family worked in a Christian ministry, KIRO 7
Eyewitness News reported.
Neighbors said Forder was
polite and helpful but added that the family kept to themselves
and that children in the household were home-schooled.
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2006 by KIROTV.com.
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