New Details Emerge In Death Of Muncie 5-Year-Old

During a six month period last fall and winter, more than a half dozen health care workers treated or observed problems with tiny Lauren McConniel.

It wasn't until about a week before the five year-old Muncie girl died on March 9, 2010 of severe malnutrition that her injuries were reported to child protective services.

Court records show Lauren's health deteriorated once in the care of her father Ryan McConniel and step-mother Britany McConniel.

The Muncie Police Department's lead detective in the case thinks health care workers would innocently believe what the parents were telling them about the, when added together, unusual injuries.

"I think the health care providers had been duped in some of this," said Sgt. Jimmy Gibson.

Sgt. Gibson's investigation uncovered that the first sign of alleged abuse came in November of last year. It was a strange injury (severe eye trauma) followed weeks later with severe weight loss, bizarre behavior, head, bone, and vaginal injuries.

Ryan and Britany McConniel were arrested this month on felony child neglect charges. Both remain behind bars in the Delaware County Jail. Britany McConniel has no bond.

Nothing was reported to Indiana Child Protective Services until March 1, 2010. Shortly after that Lauren was transferred in grave condition to an Indianapolis hospital.

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• Ryan McConniel
• Brittany McConniel
• Lauren Michele McConniel
• Salt Poisoning