Abused teen's doctor faces a judge

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - The doctor of a Dayton teenager who died of malnutrition and neglect made her first court appearance Wednesday.

Dr. Margaret Edwards appeared in juvenile court to answer to charges that she neglected to report signs of abuse concerning Makayla Norman.

She was charged with three counts of failure to report child abuse. Edwards told the judge she in the process of securing an attorney. She did not enter a plea, so the judge entered a "not guilty" plea on her behalf.

Prosecutors say Dr. Edwards cared for Norman from July 2010 until the girl's death in March 2011.

The teen suffered from cerebral palsy and weighed just 28 pounds when she died. Doctors said her body was covered in bed sores.

Dr Edwards is the fifth person charged in this case. Makayla's mother, Angela Norman, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and endangering children. She is now serving nine years in prison.

The girl's head nurse, Mollie Parsons, is expected to go to trial August 27th, after her first trial ended in a mistrial. She surrendered her nursing license.

Two other nurses will go to trial together. Kathryn Williams was a nurse with Exclusive Home Care. Mary Kilby worked for Cincinnati-based CareStar and was responsible for overseeing home health care providers, like Exclusive.

Dr. Edwards next court appearance is set for August 28. She faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.