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Autopsy report awaited in baby starvation case

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 4, 2009

Chauncey Gardner

Tivasha Logan

TAMPA - A 5-month-old girl who authorities say was starved to death by her parents only had a little watery fluid in her stomach.

An autopsy was performed Monday on Chauntasia Gardner, although a report has not been completed. Stephen Nelson, Polk County's chief medical examiner, declined to comment today.

Chauntasia weighed 6 pounds when she died Sunday, deputies say, less than half the average weight of infants her age.

Beyond the evidence of starvation, Polk sheriff's spokeswoman Donna Wood said, "There is no evidence at this point that leads us to believe that this child was ill."

Tivasha Logan, 25, and Chauncey Gardner, 27, were arrested Monday afternoon. They are being held without bail on first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges.

Investigators say they found only about 2 ounces of baby formula in the Lakeland home when they arrived Sunday following a 911 call about an unresponsive child.

The five other children in the home were fed, deputies said, and Logan and Gardner had access to food stamps and other benefits.

Chauntasia was born May 11. She was about two months premature and weighed 2 pounds, 11 ounces. When she left the hospital July 29, she weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces and appeared to be healthy, deputies say. She hadn't been seen by a doctor since checking out of the hospital.

Authorities say the child's grandmother told them she had been aware for weeks that Chauntasia was sick. The grandmother told Logan to take the baby to a hospital or doctor and Logan said she had and everything was fine. Logan was lying, Polk Sheriff Grady Judd said.

Logan told authorities she was scared to take Chauntasia to a hospital in case someone there called the Department of Children & Families, an arrest report states.

But DCF likely would have tried to provide services to help keep the family together, agency spokeswoman Carrie Hoeppner said today.

Logan's five surviving children are staying with a relative.

Hoeppner said she is aware of only one other such case. In that incident, which occurred last year in Orlando, a woman was accused of starving one of her 4-month-old twins to death. She was charged with manslaughter and child abuse.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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