Mom Charged in Death of 7-Year-Old Daughter Who Developed Meningitis and Needed Medical Care

A North Dakota mother is charged with manslaughter following the death of her 7-year-old daughter, who died after developing meningitis and was never taken to a doctor, according to reports.

The McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office arrested Jerika McNeely on Tuesday, August 25, in connection with the girl’s death in May, the office said in a Wednesday, August 26, news release.

McNeely, 32, is accused of neglecting her daughter’s condition caused by bacterial meningitis and failing to seek medical attention for the girl, according to authorities, KVLY-TV reported.

Deputies responded to McNeely’s home on May 15, when the girl was said to be unresponsive, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Despite the lifesaving efforts, the child was pronounced deceased,” the sheriff’s office said. “In the months following the child’s death, investigators conducted an extensive investigation regarding the circumstances surrounding the child’s death.”

An investigation revealed McNeely’s daughter grew ill around five days before she died, according to an affidavit obtained by KVLY-TV. Prior to her death, the girl reportedly could no longer walk or sit up.

The girl’s siblings told investigators that they watched her condition worsen, and saw how she needed to be carried around since she struggled to independently move, the affidavit said.

The siblings also shared to investigators that McNeely thought fresh air from outside “would help” her daughter, KVLY-TV reported, citing the affidavit.

One of McNeely’s other children expressed concern that McNeely’s daughter should be seen at a hospital, according to authorities.

The girl ultimately died of streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis complications, according to the North Dakota Forensic Examiner’s Office, which ruled the 7-year-old’s death as a homicide as a result of her not receiving necessary medical attention, the affidavit obtained by KVLY-TV said.

Despite having access to a car and being located near medical centers, McNeely never sought help for her daughter, according to the affidavit.

According to the Meningitis Research Foundation, streptococcus pneumoniae is a bacteria that causes pneumococcal meningitis, “one of the most life-threatening causes of bacterial meningitis.”

Some symptoms of the illness can include fever, vomiting, appearing sleepy or “difficult to wake,” the meningitis charity, based in the UK, says online.

“People with pneumococcal meningitis will get worse fast,” the Meningitis Research Foundation warns, and advises caregivers to “check regularly on someone who is unwell.”

After McNeely’s initial court appearance on August 26, she’s due back in court for a preliminary hearing and arraignment, which has been set for November 5, KVLY-TV reported.

Information on whether McNeely has retained legal counsel wasn’t immediately available.