Alabama: Haley Dee Metz, a 33-year-old Alabama woman, has finally accepted responsibility for the tragic death of her 3-year-old stepdaughter, Aydah DiMaso, nearly three years after the child was found dead. Metz entered a blind plea this week to one count of aggravated child abuse, acknowledging her role in the brutal mistreatment of the young girl. A blind plea means that the terms of her sentence will not be pre-negotiated, leaving her punishment up to the discretion of the judge. In exchange for her guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop an additional charge of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.
Blind Plea for Aggravated Child Abuse
Metz’s admission of guilt brings her closer to sentencing, which is set for November. The legal proceedings have taken a significant emotional toll on the family of Aydah, who has been remembered as a “sweet soul with an infectious giggle” by those who loved her. Her grandparents, who had been fighting for custody of the child, were devastated by the loss and have been vocal about the failings of the child welfare system in protecting her. The child was found unresponsive in a bathtub in October 2021 at her father’s residence in Gadsden, Alabama, after family members called for a welfare check. Investigators soon arrested Aydah’s father, Nikolas Joseph DiMaso, 26, and accused him of beating his daughter to death with his hands and fists.
A Tragic Death and Legal Fallout
The details of Aydah’s death are chilling. Law enforcement revealed that the little girl had over 50 injuries on her body, a clear sign of prolonged abuse. A GoFundMe page set up for the family describes the situation as utterly preventable, criticizing the system for failing to protect Aydah. The page has since become a platform for friends and family to rally together in support of the grieving grandparents, and to demand #JusticeForAydah. Aydah’s father, Nikolas DiMaso, pleaded guilty to capital murder of a child under 14 and conspiracy to commit aggravated child abuse in June 2023. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. DiMaso had only been in custody of his daughter for about eight months before she died, a period marked by escalating abuse.
Civil Case Against Child Welfare Authorities
The tragic case has also spurred a civil lawsuit against the Alabama Department of Human Resources. Aydah’s maternal grandmother, leading her estate, filed the lawsuit in October 2023, alleging that the state’s child welfare system allowed Aydah to remain in a dangerous environment, despite clear signs of abuse. The lawsuit names multiple defendants, including four individual caseworkers, accusing them of negligence and misinterpretation of laws that ultimately led to the toddler’s death.
Tommy James, the attorney representing Aydah’s estate, emphasized how the system failed the young girl at every level. He recounted the injuries she had endured in her short life, including a broken arm, a gash in her foot, and marks covering her body. “What this child suffered from is just horrific,” James stated, echoing the family’s grief and determination to seek justice. As the family continues their fight in court, they hope to bring attention to the broader failures of child welfare systems across the country, vowing that Aydah’s death will not be in vain.
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