UPDATED: Testimony Begins Tomorow In Trial Of Mother Accused Of Starving Daughter To Death:

Karen Davenport

A jury has been picked and will be seated tomorrow morning (05-12-10) to hear testimony in the manslaughter trial of a mother accused of allegedly starving her 6 year-old daughter to death in 2005.

Karen Davenport, 33, Rogers, AR, was originally charged with involuntary manslaughter in January of 2005 starvation death of her daughter, Hannah, by former prosecutor Steve Greeding.

Hannah Davenport


However, after reviewing the case in 2007, Janice Durbin, Greeding's successor, amended the charge to second-degree murder then back to voluntary manslaughter. Durbin also amended the charge to include failing to provide/and or maintain adequate medical treatment for the girl as an alternative charge.

Hannah was born with a birth defect that made it difficult for her to digest food. Investigators say that doctors ordered a special diet for the little girl that was ignored, and that was a contributing factor in her death.

Davenport's mother, Linda Walsham, was facing the same charges, however those charges were dropped in 2009.

Hannah was only three and a half feet tall, and weighed 27 pounds pounds when she died of malnutrition, dehydration and bowel infections before her death according to forensic pathologist, Dr. Keith Norton. He said if the little girl had received medical attention in her final days, or even hours, she may have lived.