A 4-year-old Cincinnati girl died from complications of untreated Type 1 diabetes, and her mother is now headed to prison. Karmity Hoeb reportedly suffered from child abuse and neglect most of her life, including her parents' failure to get a proper diagnosis for her Type 1 diabetes. She was taken to Cincinnati Children's Hospital in January 2022 and later died from a diabetes-related brain injury. Had her illness been treated, Karmity might still be alive.
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Tamara Banks, 41, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges in March, and was sentenced to up to 13 and a half years in prison. Her father, 53-year-old Christopher Hoeb, also pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and will be sentenced in June.
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Karmity had suffered severe neglect.
Prosecutors claimed Banks and Hoeb fed their daughter bottles of formula mixed with Mountain Dew for most of her life, according to the New York Post. She survived off that mixture, which apparently rotted her teeth. The parents reportedly never took her to a dentist, and her diabetes was undiagnosed and untreated.
The mother seemingly didn't realize her daughter was ill.
Per the Post, Banks said in court from a wheelchair, "I thought I was taking care of her."
Prosecutors said the mother may not have taken care of the child, but she reportedly did take care of herself. Banks regularly filled prescriptions and had doctors visit her home for her health needs.
Banks didn't immediately call for help.
Karmity was showing signs of a serious medical condition for days before her mother called 911, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. She finally made the call when the child turned blue. First responders were able to revive her for a short time, but brain scans later showed no activity.
Karmity died at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center from a brain injury as a result of diabetic ketoacidosis.
Some say Banks should have known better.
The Post reported that Banks actually had another child who fell into a diabetic coma at 4 years old, so she was well aware of the seriousness of diabetes.
"This is one of the most tragic cases I have ever encountered," Clermont County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Clay Tharp said in court. "This child did not have to die."
Banks’ oldest son, Jerry Banks, told Fox 19 about his brother.
“One day, he just went lethargic and wouldn’t move and the only thing he would respond to was sugar and for 36 hours, she [Tamara Banks] passed out in the back room. I had to wake her up and force her to take him to the hospital and that’s when he was found to be in DKA; The same thing that happened to [Karmity]. The doctors just so happened to catch it in time to save him.”
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Karmity was well-loved.
Her obituary shares the story of a happy little girl whose life was tragically cut short.
"Our precious daughter Karmity Faythe Hoeb that we nicknamed Boogie which suited her personality because she loved to be silly. She also loved looking at herself in the mirror because she knew how beautiful and special she was. Smart and Vibrant. The camera loved her almost as much as she loved smiling real big and saying cheese," the obituary reads.
"Each day she woke up full of joy and love. Every day she was playing with her Mickey buddies and racing her cars. She touched everyone that ever laid eyes on her or spent any time with her. She will always be remembered as our daughter, our guardian angel now."
