Disabled girl, 12, hospitalized after found weighing 30 pounds


A 12-year-old girl with special needs is being treated at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh after it was discovered that she was severely malnourished, weighing 30 pounds, according to authorities.

The girl, Nicholle, is from Ohio. Jennifer Simms, a cousin, told WTOV in Steubenville that Nicholle's father lives in another state and was led to believe that she was being cared for.

"This week when she was picked up for visitation by her father, he noticed there was a sudden decline in her health," said Simms. "There is no reason why she should have gotten to this point."

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is investigating.

A Facebook page, A Voice for Nicholle, has been set up to support the girl. According to a post on the page, the father has been granted temporary custody of the girl.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay for the father's legal expenses.