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ORLANDO, Fla. – A Florida woman has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse in the death of her 13-year-old adopted daughter, the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office said.

Diane Natasha Mack, 34, is accused of severely abusing and neglecting the girl, whose body was discovered early Friday at their Sebring home.

Deputies who responded to a call at 12:19 a.m. found the girl unresponsive near the front door. EMS pronounced her dead at the scene. Investigators said Mack delayed getting help, waiting for hours after finding the girl unresponsive to transport other children to Titusville and turning back before calling 911.

Sheriff Paul Blackman described the case as one of the most disturbing he had come across in more than three decades. The girl, wearing only a diaper, appeared emaciated and malnourished, with wounds in various stages of healing, according to investigators.

Detectives said evidence in the home suggests she was held in the garage, monitored by a security camera and subjected to prolonged abuse.

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Mack allegedly tried to destroy evidence using pool chlorine in the garage before calling authorities. The sheriff condemned Mack’s actions, pointing to her previous employment with the Department of Children and Families and as a guardian ad litem, roles dedicated to protecting children.

“To see a child treated this way is not only heartbreaking, it’s upsetting,” Blackman said.

The sheriff’s office is providing support to investigators working on the case and has vowed to bring justice for the child.

“This is a nightmare that no child should have to endure,” Blackman said.

Mack is being held without bond in the Highlands County Jail on charges including first-degree murder, kidnapping and tampering with evidence.

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