Ex-DCF Employee Arrested in Florida After Police Discover Deceased Adopted Daughter in Garage Wearing Diaper

A harrowing discovery was made in Sebring, Florida, when deputies found a teen adopted girl dead inside her home, wearing only a diaper and showing clear signs of abuse and neglect. The incident has led to the arrest of Diane Natasha Mack, 34, a former guardian ad litem (GAL) and employee of the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF).

According to the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office, Mack called police early Friday at 12:19 a.m. to report finding her adopted daughter lying unresponsive on the floor of their home in the Sun ‘n Lake of Sebring golf and recreation community.

Highlands County Sheriff Paul Blackman described the scene as one of the most disturbing he has witnessed in over 30 years of law enforcement. “There are no words I can say that can truly convey the nightmare that this child’s life must have been,” Blackman said in a video statement following Mack’s arrest on charges of murder and child abuse.

The sheriff’s office reported that the deputies arrived to find clear evidence of severe abuse, adding to the gravity of the case. Mack’s position as a former DCF employee has drawn significant attention, underscoring the tragic irony of a person once tasked with protecting children now facing serious accusations of harming one.