Trial in death of Danieal Kelly to begin

Almost five years after the nearly skeletal and bedsore-ridden body of 14-year-old Danieal Kelly was found in her mother's fetid West Philadelphia apartment, a Philadelphia jury Friday begins hearing evidence in the criminal trial of her father and two social-service workers who supposedly monitored the disabled girl's health and safety.

Lawyers and Common Pleas Court Judge Jeffrey P. Minehart picked a jury of six men and six women Thursday, plus two female alternates, to hear the case that led to an overhaul of the Department of Human Services.

Minehart ordered jurors to return to the Criminal Justice Center on Friday morning for the trial's start, an abbreviated session before the three-day Independence Day holiday.

After an overview of trial procedure from the judge, jurors will hear opening statements from the prosecution and three defense attorneys.

Edward McCann, the acting first assistant district attorney, who is prosecuting the case with Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Selber, said he expected to call at least one witness before the trial breaks for the day.

On trial is Daniel Kelly, 40, Danieal Kelly's father, charged with child endangerment for allegedly leaving Danieal with his ex-wife, Andrea, 41, after he and Danieal returned to Philadelphia after living for several years in Arizona.

Kelly allegedly left his daughter, who had cerebral palsy and could not move or care for herself, with his ex-wife even though he knew she was neglecting the child.

Also on trial is Dana Poindexter, 54, a former DHS social worker who the grand jury alleged tossed Kelly's case file into a trash-filled box. Poindexter is charged with child endangerment, recklessly endangering another person, and perjury.

Finally, there is Mickal Kamuvaka, 62, cofounder and chief administrator of MultiEthnic Behavioral Health Inc., a now-defunct firm hired by DHS to monitor the health and safety of Danieal Kelly and eight siblings who lived with Andrea Kelly.

Kamuvaka is charged with child endangerment, conspiracy, and a half-dozen other counts involving record-tampering and perjury - part of an alleged cover-up of the circumstances surrounding the gruesome death.

Kelly was found dead in her mother's apartment, weighing just 42 pounds, her dehydrated body covered with bone-deep bedsores.

The stifling household had no running water, electricity, or ventilation.

Originally, nine people were charged in 2008 by the District Attorney's Office. All but these three pleaded guilty, including Andrea Kelly, who is serving a 20-to-40-year prison term for third-degree murder.

Kamuvaka also was among nine people involved with MultiEthnic who were charged with federal health-care fraud and conspiracy for falsely billing for services that Kelly and her family never got.

Kamuvaka and three others were convicted in March 2010 at a federal trial, and she was sentenced last June to 171/2 years in prison on those charges.