COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Franklin County Coroner’s Office has confirmed the cause of a 2-year-old child’s death, months after her father and his girlfriend were first indicted in her murder.
Arianna Starkey was just 2 years old when Hocking County EMS responded to an apartment on Jan. 8 for reports she wasn’t breathing. She died two days later at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
An official coroner’s report released Thursday shows Arianna ultimately died from blunt force trauma to her head and neck.
Austin Starkey, 25, and his 27-year-old girlfriend Destani Neel were charged in Arianna’s murder back in March.
Investigators later determined the couple’s original story of how Arianna’s injuries occurred was not factual. They said the initial story was fabricated in an attempt to hide that the injuries were actually the result of an assault.
The coroner’s report detailed multiple contusions to Arianna’s head, neck and torso, as well as brain hemorrhages resulting from the incident.
Starkey was indicted on charges of murder, felonious assault, permitting child abuse, endangering children and tampering with evidence and is now awaiting sentencing.
Neel has been indicted on charges of murder, aggravated murder, felonious assault and endangering children. She is still awaiting trial.
The indictment contains the specification for a victim under the age of 13, which does include the possibility of the death penalty.
