A horrific crime scene was discovered in Sebring, Florida, on the night of Friday, November 15, 2024, when deputies responded to a call from Diane Natasha Mack, a former Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) employee. She had reported that her 13-year-old adopted daughter was unresponsive and lying on the floor of their home. Upon arriving, law enforcement officials were confronted with a chilling scene that left even the most experienced officers shaken.
Mack, 34, had worked as a guardian ad litem, a volunteer role in which she represented the interests of children in legal proceedings. She had also been employed by the DCF, the very agency responsible for child welfare, which made the circumstances of the crime all the more disturbing. When authorities arrived, they found the child dead, dressed only in a diaper. The child’s body showed clear signs of extreme neglect and abuse, including visible wounds in various stages of healing, some of which appeared to be fresh. The sheriff’s office described the child as “extremely emaciated” and “obviously malnourished,” indicating that she had endured a prolonged period of mistreatment.
Initially, Mack claimed she had found her daughter in this state on Thursday morning, but later changed her story, stating she had discovered the child’s body around 3 p.m. on Friday. Investigators soon uncovered further evidence that revealed the child had been confined to the garage of the home prior to her death. The garage door appeared to have been used to secure the child, and a security camera was reportedly set up to monitor her from inside the house. It is not yet clear how long the girl had been confined in the garage before her death, but the evidence suggested that Mack had gone to great lengths to isolate her.
Authorities also found signs that Mack had attempted to destroy evidence related to the abuse. They claimed she had used pool chlorine to attempt to eliminate any traces of her actions in the garage before calling 911. In a disturbing twist, Mack allegedly took the time to drive four other children who were also living in the home to another location in Titusville before reaching out to law enforcement.
The authorities arrested Diane Natasha Mack on multiple charges, including first-degree murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse, as well as aggravated child abuse, kidnapping, and destroying evidence. The sheriff expressed outrage over the case, stating that the level of abuse suffered by the child was incomprehensible and deeply disturbing. He also pointed out the deeply troubling fact that Mack, whose role was to protect and advocate for vulnerable children, was responsible for such horrific acts against her own adopted daughter.
This case has shocked the community and raised serious questions about how someone entrusted with the care of children could subject one to such abuse and neglect. The sheriff emphasized that parents have a fundamental responsibility to protect their children and ensure their well-being, making this case all the more heartbreaking and infuriating. As investigators continue to piece together the details of the crime, they have expressed their commitment to seeking justice for the victim and holding Mack fully accountable for her actions. Mack is currently being held without bail in the Highlands County Jail while awaiting further legal proceedings.
