Parents charged in horrific murder of their 4-year-old daughter who was boiled alive on New Year's day

                     

A Michigan couple has been charged with one of the most heinous murders that is being referred to as the "worst child death case" ever after their 4-year-old daughter died in a "scalding bath" in Michigan.

Candice Diaz, 24, and Brad Fields, 28, were charged with murder, torture, and child abuse and both denied bail. Gabrielle died on New Year's Day after living a life filled with abuse. Doctors say she suffered multiple injuries, including severe burns on her limbs after she was in a bath with scalding hot water.

A medical practitioner, who examined Gabrielle Barrett's body, described the alleged murder as the "worst child death case" in 27 years of his career, according to a court document. The document also allegedly states that the four-year-old was burned so badly that her big toe fell off, and police found melted skin in the drain.

Gabrielle's mother, Diaz, and her partner, Fields, from Michigan, were arrested seven days later in Georgia. Sumpter Township Police Department reported that both parents have a history of severe mental illness. Candice suffers from bipolar disorder and Brad suffers from schizophrenia. Diaz said she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. Fields said that he was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, social anxiety, agoraphobia, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Diaz claimed that Gabrielle had run her own bath, which had been the cause of her burns, but that she didn't take her child to a doctor or to hospital.

The court file read: "The mother claimed she ran Gabrielle's bath and placed Gabrielle into the tub after she filled the tub halfway. The mother then claimed she left Gabrielle alone in the tub and went to the kitchen to make pancakes."

When she returned, Diaz claimed that she discovered the water level had risen and her daughter was submerged in water up to her nose.

"The mother said she called Brad to the bathroom for help. According to the mother, Gabrielle continued to vomit, and Fields attempted to provide CPR."

There were more "problems" with the girl at 10.05am, before police were eventually called 36 minutes later. When police arrived, they found cocaine in the home. 

Gabrielle's biological father, Kyle Barrett, said he had no knowledge of what had happened in the house. He said he last saw his daughter in September before turning himself into police on unrelated charges. He was released from prison on January 3, two days after his daughter's death.