Midwest City parents charged in death of 7-year-old daughter

Two Midwest City parents have been charged in the death of their 7-year-old daughter who had signs of rigor mortis when they took her to a local hospital earlier this month.

In Oklahoma County District Court, Anthony Yonko, 37, and Lisa Mitchell, 30, each face one count of felony second-degree murder of a child in commission of child neglect.

On Aug. 2, Midwest City police were notified the girl was brought to St. Anthony Midwest Hospital just before noon by a personal vehicle, and she appeared to be dead.

A nurse told police she spoke with the girl’s parents, and the mother was holding the child in a blanket, according to a police affidavit. The girl was malnourished — weighing just 25 pounds at 3 feet 1 inch tall.

The girl appeared to have internal and external injuries. She was pronounced dead at 12:19 p.m., and the hospital notified a medical examiner, who notified police.

More: Midwest City parents face murder charges after taking child to hospital, police say

Yonko told police he and Mitchell were living at the Vista Green Apartments in the 7000 block of E Reno Avenue in Midwest City.

Both parents said the girl had the flu. Yonko told police they had been feeding her crackers and soup.

On the morning the girl died, Yonko told police, he awoke to Mitchell telling him the girl was not moving and was sick and needed to go to the hospital.

Yonko’s brother drove them to the hospital, according to the affidavit.

He told police he could not tell if the girl was alive because she was wrapped in the blanket.

Yonko’s brother said he dropped them off “in the emergency area and drove away from the area because he was afraid and needed to get to work,” a police officer wrote in the affidavit.

On Tuesday, Yonko and Mitchell each remained in the Oklahoma County jail on $10 million bond.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Midwest City parents charged in death of 7-year-old daughter