Ivana Linic Convicted in Florida Child Starvation Case

October 20, 2009 by Cathy Ribble
Filed under: News

Ivana Linic has been convicted by a Florida court of starving her 5-month-old baby to death, and her sentencing is scheduled for tomorrow.

The conviction could carry a 15-year prison sentence for the Bosnian immigrant, the maximum sentence allowed for those charges.

The twenty-three-year-old claims she fed her baby, Nehemiah Chavis, five to six times a day. Authorities found the child severely dehydrated and the autopsy found that he gained only two pounds in five months. The infant only weighted 6-1/2 pounds when he died in 2007.

The father, Nehemiah Chavis, Sr., did not live in the same household. He told authorities that Linic became angry that she was pregnant and asked him to take the child. He declined to take custody because of his own drug problems. He had a history of narcotic and assault arrests, but was reportedly clean of alcohol, marijuana and cocaine use for three months before his son’s death.

At the time of the child’s death, Linic lived with her parents, a 16-month old daughter, and two brothers. The infant received medication for gas, and had been treated for constipation. Linic reported that she did not seek medical assistance at that time because she had been denied for Medicaid.

On February 21, 2007, the baby’s breathing began to fail and his lips turned blue. Linic called 911 for assistance at that time.