Aziyza Ababneh (pictured), 37, has been accused of denying a lifesaving surgery to her 14-year-old daughter, Amina Krouser, who died from a brain infection on December 10 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
A Wisconsin mother of three has been accused of denying a lifesaving surgery to her 14-year-old daughter, who died on December 10.
Aziyza Ababneh, 37, now faces charges of neglect, child abuse by intentionally causing harm, and neglecting a child resulting in death, according to Milwaukee County Circuit Court records.
Her daughter, Amina Krouser, was taken to the hospital on December 3 for what medical professionals believe started as a sore throat, but escalated to a brain infection that ultimately killed her due to denial of treatment, ABC’s WISN 12 reported.
Local news described the conditions that Krouser and her siblings, ages 12 and 16, lived in as ‘another house of horrors,’ likening it to that of the California couple, David and Louise Turpin, who have been accused of locking up and torturing their 13 children.
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Amina Krouser (pictured) died from a brain infection on December 10 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Krouser’s death was reportedly labeled a homicide by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner.
Ababneh is accused of declining consent for doctors at St. Mary’s Hospital to perform emergency to save Krouser’s life.
When the mother was reportedly told Krouser needed to surgery to survive, Ababneh allegedly said, ‘I’ve already lost her.’
Krouser apparently started feeling ill in late November, which is reported to have furstrated her mother, leading her to allegedly beat her child with belts, a paddle and what her other children called a ‘face blade,’ made up of a PVC pipe with duct tape wrapped on one end, WISN reported.
Krouser was taken to the hospital on December 3 for what medical professionals believe started as a sore throat, but escalated to a brain infection that ultimately killed her due to denial of treatment
Local news described the conditions that Krouser and her siblings, ages 12 and 16, lived in as ‘another house of horrors,’ likening it to that of the California couple, David and Louise Turpin, who have been accused of locking up and torturing their 13 children
In the days before Krouser was finally taken to the hospital by ambulance on December 3, she had been urinating on herself in bed, had trouble walking, and had been ‘slobbering’ and ‘drooling’ on herself, according to WISN 12.
The medical examiner’s report said Krouser died on December 10 of medical neglect over untreated Lenierre’s Syndrome, an infection which spread to the girl’s brain.
The three children had been living alone with Ababdeh in a home what police reportedly found to be cold and dirty, without heat or running water, and smelling of human and cat feces and urine.
It appeared the family had been using a 5-gallon bucket in the home for a toilet.
Michael Krouser (pictured), who is the father of the deceased teen, lives in Texas and said he had not seen the children for 10 years
The children had been living alone with Ababdeh in a home what police reportedly found to be cold and dirty, without heat or running water, and smelling of human and cat feces and urine
A neighbor who asked not to be identified said he would often see the children outside during the day, but had no idea they were living in such conditions, and surviving mainly on baby food, noodles or rice that was cooked on either a hot plate or over votive candles.
The children were apparently home schooled, and had little contact with anyone besides Ababneh.
Michael Krouser, who is the father of the deceased teen, lives in Texas and said he had not seen the children for 10 years.
Michael Krouser told WISN 12 that Ababneh is a US Army veteran, and that his ex-wife could have obtained medical care for their child.
Ababneh was apparently remarried following her divorce from Krouser’s father, to a man named Taher Sharif Ababneh. The couple jointly filed for divorce in January 2015, according to court records.
In the days before Krouser was finally taken to the hospital by ambulance on December 3, she had been urinating on herself in bed, had trouble walking, and had been ‘slobbering’ and ‘drooling’ on herself
Michael Krouser told WISN 12 that Ababneh is a US Army veteran, and that his ex-wife could have obtained medical care for their child; Amina Krouser is seen here, hospitalized leading up to her death, in photos posted on Michael Krouser’s Facebook page
Ababneh was arrested on Friday and remains in custody, according to WISN 12.
Her two surviving children are currently in foster care.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Michael Krouser was also the father of Ababneh’s other two children, but WISN 12 reported that he planned to try to get custody of them.
Ababneh now faces three misdemeanor counts of child neglect, one felony count of child abuse by intentionally causing harm and one felony county of neglecting a child resulting in death.
Her next court date, which will consist of a pre-trial hearing, has been scheduled for April 9.
Ababneh’s jury trial is scheduled to begin on June 4.
If convicted, she could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and ordered to pay up to $55,000 in fines.
Ababneh was arrested on Friday and remains in custody; Her two surviving children are currently in foster care