Friday's Internet Edition, May 09, 2008.
|
According to the Davidson County Clerk of Court’s office, the 38-year-old’s case has been continued until April 7 in Lexington Superior Court. She is charged with felony child abuse after authorities in Troup County, Ga. found one of her two daughters dead in the backseat of a Nissan Altima on March 9. Troup County authorities said the other daughter, 8-year-old Natalie, was unharmed and is in the custody of the Davidson County Department of Social Services.
Reached by phone Monday afternoon, District Attorney Garry W. Frank said he could not comment on the latest details involving the case.
“Investigation is still in process in North Carolina and Georgia,” Frank said.
Initially, Kasera called 911 the night of her daughter’s death, saying her daughter was in medical distress. The mother told the 911 telecommunicator that her daughter wasn’t breathing, and she was currently giving CPR to Nicole.
Following the incident, Troup County Sheriff Donny Turner said his deputies checked the neck of the young girl and did not find the pulse. Then deputies turned the girl’s head, noticing how stiff she was and immediately knew she was dead, Turner said.
“It appeared she had been bound and tied up before,” Turner told the Thomasville Times. “At that point, the first flag went up that something was completely wrong.”
Soon after finding out that the young girl was dead the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search of Kasera’s home on National Highway. Sheriff David Grice has yet to unveil any information regarding the search, citing the continuing investigation.
Although the Georgia Bureau of Investigation ruled the girl’s death to be a homicide, Davidson County authorities have yet to make such a ruling.
Davidson County’s district attorney has said Kasera’s sentence depends on her criminal background. In fact, according to Davidson County records, Kasera was charged on April 15, 2006 with two counts of misdemeanor child abuse for leaving her two daughters at home alone. Clerk of Davidson County Superior Court Brian Shipwash confirmed the children were found naked and wandering the neighborhood as the court record reads.
Thomasville attorney Michael D. Lea was Kasera’s attorney in the case where Judge Jimmy Myers gave Kasera a prayer for judgment, requiring that she pay court fines and stay out of trouble with the law for six months, Shipwash said.
In November 2006, Kasera ad to go back to court because she did not pay her court fine on time. She did, however, pay the fine and stay out of trouble for six months. In March 2007, Lea requested the charges of misdemeanor child abuse be dismissed against his client. His argument was that she had paid the court cost and not committed a criminal violation. Shipwash said Judge Wayne Michael signed for the dismissal to be approved.
A fund to assist with the burial of the 11-year-old has been set up at First Bank. It was set up by City Councilman George Burton and Linde Brittain, owner of Brittain Academy, where the students attended. Contributions can be made at any First Bank Location in an account called “Kasera fund c/o Brittain Academy.”
Staff Writer Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 231, or ignasiak@tvilletimes.com.