Mother, boyfriend indicted in death of infant who died of malnutrition

Jen Lawson

Thursday, Sept. 1, 2005 | 9:46 a.m.

The mother of the 2-year-old girl who died of malnutrition and the mother's boyfriend were indicted Tuesday by a Clark County grand jury on charges of second-degree murder and four counts of abuse and neglect.

Charlene Snyder, 28, and Jack Richardson, 25 are scheduled to be arraigned Sept. 7 in District Court.

Adacelli Snyder died June 29 of cachexia -- wasting away due to malnutrition and neglect. A medical examiner determined her manner of death was homicide.

The indictment says Snyder and Richardson failed to feed Adacelli, who had cerebral palsy, and forced her to live in an insect-infested environment where she suffered numerous bites and lesions.

Adacelli was also suffering from a condition known as hair tourniquet at the time of her death, most likely as a result of her scratching insect bites.

Hair had been wrapped around three fingers of her right hand, and when the hair was untangled and removed, authorities found deep cuts that exposed tendons.

Snyder and Richardson are also accused of allowing Synder's two daughters, ages 5 and 3, to suffer from a severe lice infestation for more than a year.

And, after Adacelli died, Snyder's 1-year-old son was hospitalized for a less severe case of malnutrition, authorities said.

A Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center doctor, two Metro Police officers, Charlene Snyder's friend and mother testified before the grand jury.