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Lloydina McAllister, 42, of Kirkland, Washington, was arrested on November 4 following an extensive investigation into the July death
Mike BediganWednesday 26 November 2025 03:38 GMTComments
CloseDiabetic man dies after taking cheaper insulin as he lost private health insurance
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A Washington mom has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after allegedly allowing her 10-year-old diabetic daughter to die on a family road trip, even as the child slipped into a coma on the backseat next to her siblings.
Lloydina McAllister, 42, of Kirkland, Washington, was arrested on November 4 following an extensive investigation into the horrific incident which occurred in July.
McAllister appeared in court on November 13, where she pleaded not guilty. As of last week she remained in custody at the King County Correctional Facility, with her bail set at $1 million.
The case was referred to the Kirkland Police Department by Child Protective Services on July 24, after McAllister brought her deceased daughter to a hospital in Tacoma.
According to information provided to investigators, the child – who had Type 1 diabetes – is believed to have died from prolonged diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the body, lacking enough insulin, breaks down fat for energy.
Prosecutors argued that McAllister had noticed warning signs of the condition in mid-July, but rather than seek medical help or take the girl to hospital she embarked on a road trip from Washington to northern California with her boyfriend and three children,The Seattle Times reported.
A Washington mom has been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after allegedly allowing her 10-year-old diabetic daughter to die on a family road trip even as the child slipped into a coma on the backseat next to her siblings (Getty Images)The 10-year-old’s condition slowly worsened, yet the family traveled more than 700 miles and passed by 31 hospitals on their return back to Washington, before McAllister brought her daughter to hospital on July 18, according to the outlet.
McAllister’s daughter had been dead for several hours in the back seat of the car next to her 12-year-old sister and 1-year-old brother by the time they arrived at the hospital, according to an arrest affidavit.
Detectives concluded that the lack of medical intervention contributed to the child’s death and resulted in her mother’s arrest, according to Kirkland Police Department.
McAllister later told police that she had not sought medical help because she was not allowed to take her daughter out of state because she did not have permission from the girl’s father.
She also reportedly claimed it was the youngster’s responsibility to pack her own medical supplies, but that they had been left at home during the trip.
Documents also stated that the girl’s condition had been chronically mismanaged since her diagnosis in 2018 and that the incidents had been reported to the state Department of Children, Youth and Families four times.
The girl’s school had also raised concerns after she arrived at school with dangerously high blood sugar, later telling school employees she was not allowed to reveal what she had had for breakfast for fear she would be taken away from her mother.
A search of McAllister’s cellphone records also showed she had searched online for ways to quickly lower blood sugar levels shortly before her daughter’s death. She later searched for whether police investigate “sudden death from diabetes” and about hiring a lawyer.
“This was a complex and emotionally challenging investigation,” said Police Chief Mike St. Jean in a statement Friday.
“The collaboration between our detectives, medical professionals, and prosecutors was essential in bringing clarity to what happened. We remain committed to protecting our community’s most vulnerable residents, especially children who cannot advocate for themselves.”
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