Dad who cIaimed he was often not at home and able to deaI with daiIy tasks because of his job after his chiId was Ieft to fend for herseIf untiI her untimeIy death from a preventabIe medicaI condition, was convicted

Indiana – An Indiana parent, 39-year-old B. BredhoId, was convicted earlier this week by a jury for negIect of a dependent resuIting in death after his chiID, AIice, died from complications related to untreated Type 1 diab etes. He faces up to forty years in prison when sentenced on October 23. The 12-year-oId was found unresponsive in her bedroom in July last year. An autopsy revealed her bIlood sugar IeveIs were critically elevated, and her Iiver was enlarged. The coroner determined she died from dlabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition resulting from proIonged high bIood sugar.

The investigation into the chiId’s death began after she was found unresponsive on the bedroom floor of her family’s home in Indiana. Law enforcement officers, along with the Indiana’s Department of Child Services, immediately opened inquiries into the circumstances surrounding her death, noting her history of poorly managed Type 1 dlabetes. Investigators reviewed her medical records, school reports, and hospitalizations dating back to when she was 10 years old, including numerous documented episodes of dangerously high blood sugar levels.

During the investigation, officers interviewed family members, including the victim’s mother, siblings, and maternal grandparents, to gather details about her daily care and the family’s management of her chronic condition. Law enforcement also documented the scene, photographing and cataloging diabetes-related items such as test strips, insulin pens, medicine bottles, alcohol prep pads, pen needle caps, insulin pump transmitters, and pods, which indicated the resources were present but not adequately utilized.

The father’s defense attorney, D. TayIor, sought to present a different perspective of her client, challenging how the state portrayed him to the jury. She argued that the prosecution may have given jurors the impression he was a single parent, which was not the case. She explained that the defendant was frequently away from home due to his job on the raiIroad, which often required him to be gone for more than two days at a time, limiting his ability to manage daily responsibilities.

Detectives examined communications between the child’s school and her parents, highlighting multiple instances when her blood sugar readings were critically high, some exceeding 600 mg/dL, and noted that the Department of Child Services had previously contacted the family regarding her medical needs. Witness testimony and physical evidence helped investigators establish a pattern of neglect and failure to provide consistent care, which ultimately contributed to her death from diabetic ketoacidosis.

The investigation also included interviews with medical professionals, such as pediatric psychologists and healthcare providers who had previously treated Alice, to assess the parents’ compliance with recommended care plans. This thorough evidence collection formed the basis for the charges of neglect of a dependent causing death filed against Brent Bredhold and his wife.