GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A jury has found a 28-year-old Kent County father guilty of starving and dehydrating his daughter to death.
Seth Welch and the child's mother, Tatiana Fusari, 29, are both charged with felony murder and first-degree child abuse in the death of their nearly 10-month-old daughter, Mary. Welch was found guilty on both counts Monday afternoon.
The jury deliberated for an hour and twenty minutes on Jan. 27 before reaching a decision.
Testimony in the trial began on Jan. 22. Jurors were shown jarring photos of Mary at the time of her death. She weighed just over a pound more at nearly 10 months old as she did at birth. Dr. David Start, the medical examiner who performed her autopsy, testified before jurors that it was one of the most severe cases of dehydration and malnutrition that he'd ever seen.
Defense attorney Charles Clapp said his client was overwhelmed by being a father to three young children, but that he did not intentionally starve and dehydrate his daughter.
Fusari's trial is set for the beginning of February, and Welch is set to be sentenced in March.
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