WEST VALLEY CITY — A West Valley couple was arrested Monday and accused of starving their young daughter and making her sleep on the floor.
Daniel James Fivas, 32, and Jessica Marie Harmes, 44, were booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of child torture.
The investigation began when a 5-year-old girl was taken to a local hospital because of her inability to gain weight. The toddler’s weight “was that of an average 18-month-old,” according to a police booking affidavit.
“Multiple tests were conducted ‘without an explanation for growth failure.’ After being fed at the hospital ‘there were signs of electrolyte levels consistent with re-feeding syndrome,’” the affidavit states. It was determined the girl was a victim of “severe malnutrition.”
The girl was placed into state protective custody as police investigated the girl’s father, Fivas, and stepmother, Harmes.
While in state custody, police were told that the girl “at first would hide her food, but over time… (she) began to offer her food to nursing staff and would leave leftovers on her plate. (She) was not showing any of the overeating habits that Jessica and Daniel mentioned,” according to police.
Investigators also learned that the girl slept on the floor each night at home while her parents and siblings slept in a bed or air mattress, according to the affidavit.
“Inside the home, locks were found on the fridge, freezers, trash and pantries,” the arrest report says. “I spoke with Daniel … who admitted he put the locks on the fridge, freezers, trash and pantries to prevent (his daughter) from stealing food. Daniel first stated he would feed (her) portions for an adult and she would still constantly eat frozen food and sneak food from the trash.”
Likewise, Harmes told police that the girl “would act out and would constantly be stealing food. Jessica believes medical is wrong and is adamant she was feeding (her) plenty of food,” according to the affidavit.
Police say the girl “began to steadily gain weight” while in the hospital and after being placed in a foster home.
Fivas “could not explain why she was gaining weight at the hospital with normal food intake,” police noted in the affidavit. “Jessica could not explain why (the girl) would not gain weight eating all that food (at home) but could gain weight easily with foster family. Jessica mentioned they were struggling for money and could not afford food, but there was no time that (the girl) went without food.”
When questioned about sleeping on the floor, the couple told police there was a mattress in a storage unit, “but it was too hard to get to and there was no room for it in the apartment for (the girl) to sleep on. It was believed it would be OK for (her) to sleep on the floor,” the affidavit states.
Police say the girl “has a developmental delay that is noted to be potentially from her lack of nutrition for brain development and is unable to speak in full sentences for an interview to be completed. I was informed that since being with a foster family, she is beginning to talk more and showing signs of development.”
Harmes and Fivas were arrested after detectives concluded that their daughter “has no place to sleep in the home and is showing signs of starvation to the point she could potentially die without medical (intervention),” according to the affidavit. The other two children in the home did not show any signs of malnutrition, police say.