Police in Utah are investigating the death of a disabled woman who they say was ******** ****** and hung crucifixion-style inside a small closet.
"It is a very unusual, sad, tragic case," Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal told AOL News. "It is sad to see that somebody could do this to another human being. You just don't see people being treated like this."
Authorities were called to a residence in Kearns, a township in Salt Lake County, on Friday afternoon to investigate a possible overdose. When police and paramedics arrived on the scene, they discovered the body of 22-year-old Christina "Nina" Harms.
Investigators observed ligature marks on Harms' ankles that were consistent with plastic zip ties, Hoyal said. They also found bruises on her thigh and head and discovered a pepper seed in the lower area of one of her eyelids. Harms' hands and arms were completely covered with bandaging material, which would have prevented her from placing or removing the pepper seed from her eye.
"Investigators believed this to be consistent with ***** of a vulnerable adult as they determined the victim was unable to care for herself," Hoyal said.
Unified Police
Cassandra Shepard, left, is charged with ****** in the death of a disabled woman in her care. Shepard's ******, Sherrie Lynn Beckering, right, and **********, Dale Beckering, face charges of domestic ******** ***** of a vulnerable adult.During their search, investigators discovered a small closet in the living room area that contained an alarm on the doorway. "Inside they found a metal bar [used to] bind the victim in a crucifixion manner," Hoyal said. "Her arms [had been] bound to this bar and [she had been] left in this closet."
Authorities arrested Harms' primary caregiver, Cassandra Shepard, 27, and charged her with ******, domestic ******** and obstructing justice. Shepard's ******, Sherrie Lynn Beckering, 50, and **********, Dale Beckering, 53, were charged with domestic ******** ***** of a vulnerable adult because they allegedly cared for Harms last year and were aware of the crime, police said.
According to the Deseret News, Harms, the ****** of a 2-year-old ********, was the victim of ***** ******* syndrome. When her ****** died of cancer in 2008, Shepard, a ****** friend, was granted legal guardianship of the then-17-year-old.
"She was handicapped, but very smart. Very intellectual," ****** friend Marilee Nelson told the newspaper. "She was a fun *****. She could play on the computer. She was just slow. She just needed help. She didn't need to be totally controlled."
A preliminary autopsy on Harms has revealed "significant injuries to the victim's body," but a cause of death is still pending. Hoyal said it could take "several weeks" for toxicology tests to be complete and a final report to be issued.
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