Court Watching: Sumpter Twp. mother sentenced to 30-60 years for her child’s death

Candice Renea Diaz, 25, of Sumpter Township has been sentenced to 30-60 years in prison for the death of her four-year-old daughter Gabrielle Barrett last New Year’s Day.
Diaz’s boyfriend Brad Edward Fields, 29, had been sentenced to life in prison after a Wayne County Circuit Court jury found him guilty of murder and other charges in connection with the girl’s death.
The two had been held without bond in the Wayne County Jail since Jan. 18 when they were taken into custody in Georgia where they had fled after Gabrielle’s death was ruled a homicide.
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Vonda Evans had harsh words for Diaz before sentencing on Dec. 5: “You are a female breeder who neglected your child for the love of a bum named Brad. … You assisted this monster in the drowning of your beautiful, precious gift.”
Sumpter Township police were called to the couple’s home in Rawsonville Woods mobile home park on Jan. 1 and found the girl unresponsive on the bathroom floor. Diaz told police she found her submerged in the bathtub after she left her alone there and went to make pancakes.
The medical examiner said the girl’s death was the worst case of child abuse he had ever seen.
Officials said the girl was given cold baths, hit in the mouth and forced to sleep on the cold floor of the mobile home on a trash bag wearing nothing but underwear.
She had been tortured with hair being pulled from her head and flesh was hanging from her feet when she was found. Body tissue was found in the drain.
Assistant Wayne County Prosecutor Bruce Elsey praised Sumpter Township Det./Sgt. John Toth and Sgt. Beth Egerer for their work on bringing the two to justice.
Diaz had been charged with homicide – felony murder, which was dismissed as part of a plea deal. She pled guilty to second-degree murder, first-degree child abuse. The charges of torture, first-degree child abuse (conspiracy) and second-degree child abuse (conspiracy) were also dismissed.
She was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison for the two guilty pleas, with 330 days credit for time served. Her retained attorney was David R. Cripps.
Fields was found guilty by a jury on Sept. 20 of all six charges against him, including first- and second-degree murder, three counts of child abuse, and torture.
Judge Evans sentenced him on Oct. 9 to natural life in prison with 274 days credit for time served. An appeal is being put together. Fields’ retained attorney is Timothy Jon Wrather.