The mother and stepfather of Missy Mogle, a 5-year-old girl who died amid signs of severe child abuse, have been indicted on charges of first-degree murder in her death.
A Leon County grand jury, which met July 18, indicted Chloe Spencer, 23, and Daniel Spencer, 35, on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, child neglect causing great bodily harm and failure to report child abuse.
State Attorney Jack Campbell initially told the Democrat that prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against both Daniel and Chloe Spencer. However, he later clarified to say the state hadn’t decided whether to pursue death for Chloe Spencer. He said he couldn’t discuss the facts of the case because of the ongoing prosecution.
Missy lost consciousness at her home in Southwood on May 19 and was pronounced dead soon after at a local hospital. Investigators said she had injuries from head to toe and found surveillance video documenting hours of her abuse.
The indictment alleges the Spencers killed Missy by “smothering or manual asphyxiation.” It says they committed battery on Missy by “binding her hands or beating her” and mentions that they “did knowingly or willfully torture, maliciously punish or abuse” her. It also says they willfully allowed her to “remain bound and smothered.”
Both Chloe Spencer and Daniel Spencer have pleaded not guilty. They are being held without bond at the Leon County Detention Facility.
Pursuing the death penalty against couples charged with killing a child is a rare move but not without precedent, especially in cases involving heinous abuse.
In April, Central Florida prosecutors said they were pursuing the death sentence for a Tavares mother and her boyfriend, Kimberly Mills and Andre Walker, who were charged in the “torture,” horrific abuse and subsequent death of her 10-year-old son Xavier Williams. Prosecutors sought the death penalty in the case because of the victim’s young age and the heinous nature of the crime, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Before that in 2011, prosecutors sought the death penalty against Jorge and Carmen Barahona in the death of their 10-year-old adopted daughter, Nubia Barahona, and the abuse and near death of her twin brother, Victor.
Prosecutors later removed capital punishment as an option from Carmen Barahona’s case after she pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against Jorge Barahona. He still faces the death penalty if convicted.
(This story has been updated with additional context).
Contact Jeff Burlew at jburlew@tallahassee.com or 850-599-2180.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee mother, stepfather may face death penalty in abuse, murder of 5-year-old girl
Reporting by Jeff Burlew, Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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