Gizzell Ford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gizzell Ford lived with her grandmother Helen Ford and bedridden father Andre Ford, both of whom were home when she died. Chicago firefighters were called to the Ford residence about a person not breathing. Firefighters initially had trouble getting into the apartment .When they did get inside, they found eight year old Gizzell’s dead body cold and covered in new and old injuries.

 

Ford initially told police Gizzell inflicted the injuries herself, but police found several bruises, burns and cuts on her body, lying face up in a bedroom in the home. Blood-splattered twine, cables and a pole were found in Gizzell's home during the investigation. Blood was found on the bedroom wall near where her body was found.  Gizzell Ford's grandmother Helen Ford inflicted abuse on Gizzell Ford for so long that Gizzell's dead body had maggots living in a head wound that had gone untreated. There were cuts to her face, ears and lips, bruising and puncture wounds to her back, chest and abdomen as well as bruising to the front and back of her neck. There was a deep laceration to her buttocks, ligature marks to the Gizzelll’s ankles and wrists and circular burn marks similar to cigarette burns on her body. Gizzell's father Andre Ford was himself unable to touch his daughter, but he ordered cruel beatings on his daughter, made her drink her urine and forced her to be ordered her to be harnessed to his bed and simply watched as his mother tortured her.

 

A respected child abuse doctor who examined Gizzell for possible sexual trauma weeks before her death has been questioned about why he didn't call the DCFS hotline about an injury that might have been a telltale sign of physical abuse. Even though the hotline was not notified, the doctor's report was available to DCFS and members of a child advocacy center, which included police and prosecutors, who should have reviewed it. An autopsy found that Gizzelll’s death was caused by strangulation, with multiple blunt force injuries due to child abuse and child neglect.

 

Helen Ford was charged with first degree murder and Andre Ford’s disability didn't prevent him from being charged with murder as well. Andre Ford died at the jail’s Hospital from a heart attack before he could be sentenced for his daughter’s death.