An Ohio mother whose 4-year-old diabetic daughter died after being fed a diet consisting primarily of Mountain Dew was sentenced Friday to at least nine years in prison for the girl’s death. Tamara Banks, 41, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in March in the death of her daughter, Karmity Hoeb, who died in 2022 due to a diabetes-related brain injury.
Prosecutors revealed that Banks often gave her daughter bottles of baby formula mixed with neon green sugary soda, long after the girl should have given up the bottles. Karmity died at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, just west of her home in Clermont County, of diabetic ketoacidosis, the Cincinnati researcher.
The young woman had been showing signs of a “serious medical issue” for days before her mother called 911. By the time emergency services were contacted, Karmity had turned blue and stopped breathing. Scans later confirmed she was brain dead, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors also accused Karmity of suffering neglect and abuse for most of his young life, and was denied proper nutrition and medical care. They found no evidence that she had ever been taken to the dentist, and all of her teeth had deteriorated by the time of her death.
One 20-ounce bottle of Mountain The dew contains 77 grams of sugar., while experts recommend that children eat less than 24 grams a day. “This is one of the most tragic cases I have ever encountered,” said Clermont County Deputy Prosecutor Clay Tharp. “This child didn’t have to die.”
Charity, affectionately nicknamed “Boogie” for her playful personality, was remembered as an intelligent and vibrant child. “She knew how beautiful and special she was… The camera loved her almost as much as she loved to smile big and say cheese.” read his obituary. “Every day she woke up full of joy and love.”
Prosecutors noted that Banks had a son who went into a coma at age 4 due to undiagnosed diabetes. Clermont County Common Pleas Judge Victor Haddad noted that this should have made her aware of the dangers of diabetes before the tragic death of her daughter.
“It’s hard to be a good parent, but at least mediocre parents are expected,” Haddad said at the hearing. “Not knowing what to do is not an excuse.” “I thought I was taking care of her.” The banks, which appeared in court in a wheelchair, he said Friday.
Despite her children’s suffering, prosecutors found that Banks regularly refilled her own prescriptions and even had doctors make house calls to cover her medical needs. Banks could face up to 13 and a half years in prison. Karmity’s father, Christopher Hoeb, 53, also pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and will be sentenced in June.
