A Queens grand jury has indicted a vegetarian couple for nearly starving their
toddler daughter to death — a charge that could put the parents behind bars for
up to 25 years, authorities said yesterday.
Prosecutors said Joseph and Silva Swinton — both 31 and strict vegans — never
bothered to nurse or give formula or milk to their daughter Ice. Instead, the
girl was forced to subsist on ground nuts, fruit juices and cod liver oil,
officials said.
When authorities removed Ice from her Queens Village home in November, the
girl, then 15 months, weighed a mere 10 pounds. The girl, who is in foster care,
has since gained weight but has developmental problems, authorities said.
Meanwhile, Silva Swinton — who is pregnant — and her husband are being held
on $200,000 bail. They were indicted on first-degree assault charges after
nixing a plea deal that would have put them in prison for 1 1/2
to 4 1/4 years.
Attorneys for both predicted their clients would be vindicated.
"My client has every intention of vigorously defending his case at trial,"
said Joseph Swinton's attorney, Ronna Gordon-Galchus.
"The case is not what the district attorney's office says it is," said Don
Murray, Silva Swinton's attorney.
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Tot-Starve Couple Indicted (5/31/2002)