Posey told officials that 69-year-old Grace Joan Smith, the woman listed as Dericka's mother, asked her to help discipline Dericka, who was reportedly "being out of control." Posey allegedly hit Dericka with a ruler and metal pipe before the little girl ran to an armchair, Pensacola News Journal reported.
Posey then proceeded to sit on Dericka for about 10 minutes and didn't get up when Dericka repeatedly complained she couldn't breathe.
When Posey stood up and realized that the girl was unresponsive, she started performing CPR.
Eventually, paramedics arrived at the scene and rushed Dericka to the Baptist Hospital, where she was declared dead.
Posey, 64, was charged with homicide and cruelty toward a child, while Dericka's parents, Grace Smith and James Smith, were both arrested and charged with child neglect. Grace Smith had also been previously charged with cruelty toward Dericka.
In an email to the Pensacola News Journal, Mike Carroll, secretary of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), wrote, "Dericka's death is appalling and DCF will continue coordinating with the Escambia County Sheriff's Office to hold anyone responsible for her death accountable."
"As the family has a prior interaction with the child welfare system, a thorough quality assurance review will be conducted to review all prior interactions this family has had with the child welfare system."
