5-year-old girl dies days after alleged abuse was captured on video in her bedroom, police say

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray News) - A 5-year-old girl in Florida died after her mother and stepfather allegedly abused her to death.

The tragedy began to unfold just before 7:45 a.m., on May 19, when Tallahassee police officers responded to a report of an unresponsive child not breathing in the 4100 block of Kipling Court.

Officers arrived and located a man, later identified as the girl’s grandfather, performing R on 5-year-old Missy Mogle.

The girl’s mother, 23-year-old Chloe Spencer and stepfather, 35-year-old Daniel Spencer, told officers that Missy allegedly had “behavioral issues” and would hold her breath during tantrums to manipulate her parents.

The parents said that their daughter had a tantrum that morning.

Daniel Spencer said that he was arguing with the 5-year-old when she began to hold her breath.

In response, he told officers he left her standing in her bedroom, closing the door and walking away.

After several minutes, police said Daniel yelled out to the household that Missy was found not breathing, causing her grandfather to begin R.

Daniel and Chloe Spencer then called 911, according to court documents.

Responding officers noted “suspicious bruising and injury patterns” to Missy’s body, which indicated abuse.

She was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. An autopsy also determined that the 5-year-old was malnourished.

Investigators found images on security cameras in the girl’s bedroom that allegedly showed Daniel Spencer “physically abusing [the girl] by hitting her, violently pulling her arms, shoving her face into a bed, binding her feet and hands together, and covering her with pillows and comforters.” Additionally, her blood was found on her pillows and comforter.

Other photos recovered showed Chloe Spencer “standing over [her daughter], who was on her bed in the fetal position, while Chloe held an object over her head as if she was preparing to hit [her] with the object.”

The 23-year-old mother later told authorities that she hit the girl with the shoe, court records say.

The young child’s tragic death has shocked the community due to her stepdad’s criminal record.

Last year, a sting by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office led to Daniel Spencer’s arrest. He was charged with multiple child sex crimes, including traveling to meet a minor, and was ultimately convicted last month.

At the time of his stepdaughter’s death, Daniel Spencer was out on bail while awaiting sentencing.

Additionally, court records revealed that Tallahassee Police investigated accusations that Daniel sexually abused the 5-year-old girl last year.

No arrests were made after police were unable to obtain sufficient probable cause.

Chloe and Daniel Spencer were each charged with second-degree murder. They’re also facing numerous charges, including aggravated battery on a child, child neglect with great bodily harm and failure to report child abuse.

A judge also ordered each of them to have no with any witness or minors, including their other children.

Daniel is expected back in court on June 6. Chloe Spencer has a motion hearing scheduled for Friday.

On Wednesday, Daniel submitted a conditional plea of not guilty, per court records. Chloe also filed a written plea of not guilty, the clerk of courts’ website said.

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