Florida mom Jessica Bortle was facing a manslaughter charge after her 14-year-old special needs daughter died last month.

Bortle and her daughter Jasmine Singletary were alone in a hospital room shortly before she passed away. The 14-year-old victim had a neuromuscular disorder.

Hospital staff said the child died despite life-saving measures, according to a Crime Online report. Autopsy results on July 21 showed that the victim had "major internal injuries" to her liver and ribs.

Both of the injuries were not present when the Florida girl was admitted to the hospital. Police said the injuries had to have occurred while Jasmine was confined to her hospital bed. 

According to the police, the Medical Examiner noted that the injuries were so severe that the Florida girl would have died only minutes after receiving them.

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Florida Girl Dying

Jasmine Singletary was admitted to the hospital for infection treatment. Days later or on July 13, the girl unexpectedly lost consciousness and stopped breathing, People reported.

Attempts were made to revive the girl. However, she was eventually pronounced dead. Bortle was in the room when the girl stopped breathing.

Detectives had concluded that the Florida mom caused Jasmine's fatal injuries following an investigation. Jessica Bortle was then charged with manslaughter. 

Bortle reportedly admitted to investigators that she slammed the hospital table into Jasmine's abdomen and then leaned onto the table with her weight.

The mother and daughter had an argument prior to the incident, Bortle told police officers. The argument was about the girl's breaking crayons.

Jasmine's grandmother was also allegedly present in the room when the incident happened. She recounted the same story of the incident as the suspect did. However, she did not face any charges and is now a witness for police.

The Florida mom is being represented by a public defender. However, it is not yet known if the suspect has entered a plea to the charge against her.

Child Maltreatment

Child maltreatment is a problem being faced globally with serious life-long consequences. But it remains complex and difficult to study, according to a World Health Organization fact sheet.

Annually, there are an estimated 40 to 150 homicide deaths in children under 18 years of age. Some are likely due to child maltreatment.

Meanwhile, young girls are particularly at risk of sexual violation, exploitation, and abuse. Child maltreatment can have long-term consequences to the victims, including depression, obesity, high-risk sexual behaviors, alcohol, and substance abuse.

Diseases such as heart disease, cancer, suicide, and sexually transmitted infections can be a result of maltreatment. In addition, victims of child abuse have a 13 percent greater likelihood of not graduating from school.

The WHO had responded to the global problem through collaboration with partners, helping recognize patterns of child abuse.

The health arm of the United Nations has also established a set of guidelines that would help the health sector respond to child maltreatment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children with disabilities may be at higher risk for abuse or neglect as compared to children without any disabilities. 

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Fla. Mom Accused of Killing Daughter with Special Needs While Visiting Her in Hospital - From Hollywood News Today