by KYW's Pat Loeb
The mother of a disabled Philadelphia girl who starved to death earlier this year (see all related stories) will stand trial for murder. That's the ruling of Judge Patrick Dugan after a preliminary hearing on Friday.
The judge has ruled that the girl's social worker also will stand trial, for manslaughter.
Assistant district attorney Ed McCann says the prosecution presented pictures and an autopsy report that persuaded Judge Dugan that Andrea Kelly (above) could be tried for murdering her daughter:
"We presented evidence that showed Danieal was essentially starved to death over a prolonged period of time. She weighed 42 pounds at the time of her death, and she was 15 years old."
McCann says he also presented testimony that social worker Julius Murray (right) had fabricated reports that he had visited the Kellys twice a week:
"Two of the Kelly children testified, and one of them said he only saw Mr. Murray one time at a court hearing. And the other one said that he never saw Mr. Murray."
Murray will stand trial for manslaughter. Seven others charged in the death have already been ordered to stand trial.
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