To view this video, you need to download the latest version Flash Player.
Comments
UTAH COUNTY -- The woman accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter appeared for the first time in court Tuesday. Ariel Hampton faces charges of child abuse homicide after police say her daughter died from being severely abused.
Hampton was led into the courtroom Tuesday morning as the judge read the charges against her. She was appointed a public defender to represent her. Her bail remains set at $500,000, and her attorney expects she will remain in jail.
Her 2-year-old daughter, Kirsten Anderson, was taken to a hospital in Gunnison last Thursday night, where she was pronounced dead. Doctors found evidence of internal injuries consistent with abuse, which led to her arrest.
Hampton's husband, James Anderson, says his wife left him and moved into a house in Centerfield with a boyfriend.
He believes not only were the couple's children abused in the home, but Ariel was also a victim of abuse and still does not believe she is responsible for their daughter's death.
He said, "My wife is a loving mother, and I could never see her ever doing this to her child, and these people are the cause, and they need to be investigated more."
He added, "She was basically forced to be a slave at their house. They were taking her financial cards and taking her money and would spend all her financial help that was supposed to be for my children. She told me they abused my children. She didn't know how to get out of that house."
Centerfield's police chief told KSL there is no evidence the boyfriend was involved in the girl's death and said all evidence points to the girl's mother as the suspect.
It's a very disturbing situation and a difficult one for investigators to work on as they see such terrible evidence of abuse to a young child.
Deputy Sanpete County Attorney Brody Keisel said, "It's a very sobering case, and we are still evaluating all of our options, trying to get all the evidence together, so we know where the case is headed."
The couple's two other children have been placed with relatives.
The judge set the case for a preliminary hearing later this month, when prosecutors will present their evidence against Hampton and ask that she stand trial on the child abuse homicide charges.
E-mail: spenrod@ksl.com
News |
Weather
Traffic |
TV
Sports
Opinion |
Radio |
Classifieds
Announcements
Events
Movies |
Advertise with KSL
Other Resources
Wireless
Legal
Sister Sites
|