CRANDON – The March death of a 6-year-old Crandon girl is being investigated as a homicide, according to a report by the Forest County medical examiner.
According to a WJFW report by Ben Meyer, a family member found Amber Perry dead in a Crandon apartment on March 7. Perry suffered from diabetic ketoacidosis, a complication from diabetes. Forest County Medical Examiner Larry Mathein wrote that adults caring for her neglected their duties in managing that condition, leading to Perry’s death.
Mathein’s report didn’t direct blame at a particular person for lack of care. In a conversation, Mathein also said a determination of medical homicide doesn’t necessarily mean that a criminal charge of homicide, or any other charge, is forthcoming.
Three days after Amber’s death, Forest County District Attorney Chuck Simono said it was unlikely he would charge anyone until after Mathein’s report was complete, Meyer reported.
At the time, though, Simono said he was “leaning” toward negligent or reckless homicide charges if preliminary observations held up.
“This is, in fact, and will be considered entirely, from day one until the end, to be a homicide until we prove otherwise,” Simono said on March 10.
Multiple adults had at least some role in Perry’s day-to-day care, according to Mathein’s report.
The report indicated Perry suffered from prolonged dehydration, which led to the drying of her tissues and organs. An autopsy called her chest and abdomen tissues “dry and tacky.”
“The severity of the dehydration discovered at autopsy would indicate a long term, chronic, lack of proper management of this decedent’s medical condition,” Mathein wrote. “I believe Amber was not provided proper care, to the point of causing the underlying medical condition to deteriorate to her death.
Thanks to Ben Meyer, managing editor at WJFW-Newswatch 12 for this report. Published by permission.
