A four-year-old Michigan girl who died after allegedly being tortured by her mother and boyfriend had been so badly burned that her big toe fell off and melted skin was found in the bathtub. / WDIV4
A four-year-old Michigan girl who died after allegedly being tortured by her mother and boyfriend had been so badly burned that her big toe fell off and melted skin was found in the bathtub.
The gruesome details surrounding Gabby Barrett's death emerged after the little girl's mother Candice Diaz, 24, and her boyfriend Brad Fields, 28, were captured by police on Tuesday, the Daily Mail reports.
The couple had sparked a nationwide manhunt after going on the run from Sumpter Township on New Year's Day after Gabby died.
Candice Diaz, 24, and her boyfriend Brad Fields, 28, were arrested Tuesday after going on the run from Sumpter Township in Michigan on New Year's Day after Gabby died. Photo / Police handouts
They were arrested 792 miles away in southern Georgia.
According to court documents, Diaz told authorities that Gabby had burned herself after running her own bath on New Year's Eve.
Police said they had found Gabby's melted skin in the drain of the bathtub and that she was missing her toe due to her severe burns. Photo / Facebook
The mother said Gabby then wanted to take another bath the following day. Diaz said she left her daughter alone in the bathroom and went to make pancakes.
When she returned, Diaz said Gabby was submerged under the water and she called her partner for help.
Gabby was found by police on New Year's Day inside the mobile home where she lived with both Diaz and Fields.
Investigators say the home was littered with animal waste and contained guns and drugs.
Gabby was rushed to the nearby St Joseph Mercy Hospital but she later died from her injuries.
Diaz and Fields were both charged with felony murder, second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse and torture after they were captured.
Court documents reveal that both Diaz and Fields have "severe mental illnesses" which they admitted to not treating.
Diaz claims she has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. Fields said he has schizoaffective disorder, social anxiety, agoraphobia and post-traumatic stress disorder.
