Couple Charged After His Daughter
Died From Drinking Soda The Associated Press Feb 6, 2014, 2:08 PM An East Tennessee couple faces a murder charge,
accused of forcing the man's 5-year-old daughter to
drink more than 2 liters of grape soda and water,
causing her brain to swell and rupture, authorities
said. According to the Hawkins County Sheriff's Office
and the autopsy report, Alexa Linboom was brought
in to the emergency room on Jan. 1, 2012, by her
father, Randall Vaughn, and his wife, Mary Vaughn. The girl was blue and unresponsive with "an
abnormal body posture that indicates severe brain
damage," according to the autopsy, which was
completed in July 2013. The Vaughns were arrested on Wednesday and
were being held at the Hawkins County Jail on a
$500,000 bond each. Officials did not know whether
the Vaughns had hired an attorney. Their
arraignment was scheduled for Friday morning. An investigation revealed the girl had been forced to
drink approximately 2.4 liters of water and soda over
one to two hours as punishment. The massive
intake of fluid caused her brain to swell and
herniate. According to the autopsy, when she was forced to
drink all that liquid, she began vomiting, urinated on
herself and asked to take a bath. "Outside of the bathtub, she tried to eat oatmeal
with assistance then started clenching her hands."
She arrived at the hospital about 2 to 3 hours later. "Caretakers told hospital staff that during the ride to
the hospital, she sat up in the vehicle and played
patty cake," according to the autopsy. She was transported by air to a regional hospital
where she was pronounced brain dead two days
later. The autopsy states that the girl had moved to
Tennessee to live with her father about three
months before her death. The move was prompted
by allegations of neglect at her previous home. A pediatric check-up about three months before her
death had shown no significant problems. She was
taken to an outpatient clinic about a month before
her death for excessive thirst, urination and eating,
but nothing was found to be wrong with her. According to the autopsy, "Other adults who had
regular contact with the child before and after her
move to Tennessee describe her as a normal,
healthy child and did not notice any unusual eating,
drinking habits and that she did not wet her pants at
school." An obituary for the child said, "Some of the things
that brought enjoyment to her life was coloring,
playing with her Barbie dolls, her love of animals,
but her most joy came when playing with her
brothers and sisters." Tennessee Department of Children's Services
spokesman Rob Johnson confirmed that Alexa had
lived in the home with five other children, some of
whom were siblings and some of whom were half-
siblings. The other children were removed from the
house in Feb. 2013 and remain in DCS custody.