The daughter of a woman referred to as 'America's worst mom' pleaded to stay at others' homes before being expelled by her mother, leading to a devastating incident where she was raped and killed. Five-year-old Zoey Felix was discovered in a field near a homeless camp in Kansas, where firefighters attempted to save her life, but she was later pronounced dead.
Neighbor Sharon Williams disclosed that Zoey's mother, 36-year-old Holly Jo Felix, had ejected her daughters and husband from their home two weeks prior, forcing them to reside at the homeless campsite. Campsite residents revealed that Zoey frequently inquired if she could stay with them, as she felt neglected by her mother.
At the time of her daughter's tragic demise, Holly Jo Felix was on probation and had a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for possessing stolen property and domestic battery in Nevada. Zoey often roamed the campsite unsupervised by her mother. Sheryl Tyree stated, "Everyone on the block looked out for Zoey... Everyone adored Zoey, except her parents."
Sharon Williams added, "Zoey did not deserve to be in anyone's woods. This is her home right here. She has one, two, three, four, five people who would do anything for her."
Mickel Wayne Cherry, aged 25, was charged with first-degree murder and rape on Thursday. According to neighbors, the suspect had previously lived with Zoey, her father, and her sister in the same house.
Authorities have not disclosed the cause of Zoey's death, but former neighbors believe she, her father, and Cherry had been residing in a wooded area near a gas station for the past few weeks, just blocks from her mother's home. They suspect she was transported from the wooded area to the gas station, although these details have not been confirmed by the police.
Police confirmed three visits to the home in September to assess the child's welfare following reports of the residence lacking electricity. Two domestic disturbance calls were also documented. "I reported the neglect that was happening," Sharon stated. "She was always dirty, had no food unless some of us fed her, but evidently, they didn't take it seriously."
A decision regarding a potential death sentence for Cherry will be made after a preliminary hearing to determine whether he will stand trial, as explained by Shawnee County District Attorney Michael Kagay.
Currently, Cherry is incarcerated in Topeka on a $2 million bond. Mark Manna of the Kansas Death Penalty Defense Unit stated that his office would represent Cherry. Although Cherry has no prior criminal record in Kansas, he does have a misdemeanor criminal trespass conviction in Amarillo, Texas.
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