By Tamara Banks, a 41-year-old mother from Ohio, has been sentenced to up to 13 and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the tragic death of her four-year-old daughter, Karmity Hoeb. The young girl passed away in January 2022 after suffering complications related to untreated type-1 diabetes, exacerbated by a diet of baby bottles filled with Mountain Dew.
Karmity’s teeth had completely rotted away by the time she died, and a prosecutor described the case as “one of the most tragic cases I have ever encountered.” The girl’s father, Christopher Hoeb, 53, also pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11.
Prosecutors initially indicted both Banks and Hoeb on multiple charges, including murder and child endangerment. However, their guilty pleas to involuntary manslaughter resulted in the other charges being dropped.
Karmity was rushed to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center after showing symptoms related to her untreated diabetes. Despite suffering from severe medical complications and showing signs of neglect throughout her young life, her parents failed to provide her with proper medical care and nutrition.
Days before her death, Karmity experienced a “serious medical issue,” but her parents neglected to seek help or take her to the emergency room. As her symptoms worsened, she turned blue and stopped breathing, prompting Banks to finally call 911. Although medics briefly revived her, scans revealed that she was brain dead.
The cause of Karmity’s death was determined to be diabetic ketoacidosis, which had spread to her brain. Prosecutors condemned Banks and Hoeb, emphasizing that her death could have been prevented if they had addressed her untreated diabetes.
During Banks’ sentencing, Judge Andrew Batsche, who oversees juvenile cases in Clermont County, expressed his disbelief at the couple’s parenting. “It’s hard to be a good parent, but you expect at least mediocre parents, everybody should expect that,” he told her. “Not knowing what to do is not an excuse.”
Shockingly, Karmity’s online obituary included a tribute written by Banks and Hoeb, in which they spoke of their love for their daughter and claimed she had a happy childhood, despite evidence of abuse and neglect. The grammatically incorrect obituary referred to Karmity as their “precious daughter” and “guardian angel,” stating that she “touched everyone that ever laid eyes on her or spent any time with her.”
This heartbreaking case highlights the devastating consequences of child neglect and the importance of providing proper medical care and nutrition to children, especially those with serious health conditions like diabetes.
