Fla. mother charged after toddler's death

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A woman was arrested on child abuse charges yesterday after her 3-year-old daughter was found dead in a filthy motel room where they lived with the woman's five other children, authorities said.

Deputies found dirty diapers and trash littering the room at the extended-stay motel and baby bottles containing moldy milk and what could have been maggots, said Orange County sheriff's spokeswoman Barbara Miller.

Kenya Hill, 27, called 911 on Monday and an emergency operator tried to give her CPR instructions for little Kai Gadison, but Hill told the operator it was too late, Miller said.

"She said, 'Oh, no, the baby's cold. I think she's dead' and started crying," Miller said.

Kai, whose body was found on a bed, may have been dead for a day or two, authorities said. The Orange-Osceola medical examiner was performing an autopsy.

According to county records, Hill was arrested in April 2002 for felony child neglect. Miller said she did not know the outcome of that case.

Department of Children & Families officials did not immediately respond to a call seeking comment.

The state agency has come under scrutiny since the disappearance of Rilya Wilson, a foster child who was in the state-approved care of a woman with a lengthy criminal record.

Hill and the five other children -- three girls and two boys, all under the age of 5 -- were taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center. Miller said Hill complained of stomach pains and investigators found bruising on some of the children.

Hill was charged early yesterday with domestic related child abuse and was being held without bail.

Neighbors said the children's father, Nathan Gadison, was in Tampa buying supplies for his tattoo business. Investigators had not yet spoken to him, Miller said.

According to motel records, the family checked into the motel on Aug. 9.