Hernando mother remains worried about 13-year-old daughters whereabouts after sisters murder

13-year-old killed by adoptive mother had autism

FOX 13's Jordan Bowen reports on the murder of a 13-year-old autistic girl that authorities believe was killed by her adoptive mother, a former DCF worker.

HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. - More information has come to light in a Hernando County case about a 13-year-old girl who deputies say was murdered by her adoptive mother and a Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) employee.

Selena's birth mom, Jennifer Kellum, says she and Selena's adoptive mother, Diana Mack, who also adopted her 12-year-old daughter, have recently been in communication.

Mugshot of Diana Natasha Mack.

Mack is accused of abusing Selena and tying her up in a garage.

They had talked on the phone about Selena's needs and were making plans to reunite the sisters with their two younger siblings, of whom Kellum does have custody.

Selena has autism, and her birth mother worries that that may have contributed to her death.

The pair had talked on the phone about Selena's needs and were making plans to reunite the sisters with their two younger siblings, of whom Kellum does have custody.

Selena was ten the last time she saw her birth mom, Jennifer Kellum. Around the same time, Kellum says she was diagnosed with autism.

Since then, Kellum has been concerned about whether her daughter received proper care.

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Before any reunification happened, however, Selena was found murdered.

"She (has) a disability. If you don't give someone with a disability their medicine, they're going to act out no matter what," Kellum said.

Photo of Selena, who was found murdered in a garage last in October 2024.

Last month, Highlands County deputies found Selena unresponsive and emaciated, covered in bruises, and chained to the garage door of this home in Sebring.

Stacey Hoaglund, the President of the Autism Society of Florida, sounded horrified to hear that Mack was once an employee of the Department of Children and Families.

"The system completely dropped the ball on this child. She was homeschooled, which meant not even a school was looking at her," Hoaglund said.

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FOX 13 News contacted DCF to find out how often they checked the child's welfare, a question they have yet to answer.

Highland County’s Sheriff's Office says it is unclear how long the child may have been tied up, but that Mack had four other children living in the home.

Those four children include Kellum's other 12-year-old daughter, whom Mack adopted.

Jennifer Kellum with her two daughters at a park.

According to this arrest affidavit, deputies found handwritten documents written by the children with the same verbiage written multiple times as a form of punishment.

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It says one of them had verbiage referring to what not to do to get her "butt" spanked by mom. Another was authored about having choices and choices resulting in "consequences" and being thrown out of the house.

One of the handwritten documents written by Selena was dated Nov. 10, just 5 days before Selena was found murdered.

"I want my child home. I (have) my other two kids. My kid needs to be home," Kellum said, referencing her 12-year-old daughter.

According to the arrest affidavit, Mack's four other kids, including Kellum's 12-year-old daughter, were put in the care of Mack's brother immediately after Selena was found murdered.

It must still be clarified if the kids are still in his care or foster care.

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