Haley Dee Metz, a 33-year-old woman from Alabama, has recently confessed to her involvement in the tragic death of her 3-year-old stepdaughter, Aydah DiMaso. This confession comes almost three years after the young girl was found dead. Metz made a blind plea to one count of aggravated child abuse, which means that the terms of her sentence will be decided by the judge without prior negotiation. In return for her guilty plea, prosecutors dropped an additional charge of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.
The legal proceedings surrounding Aydah’s death have been emotionally taxing for her family, who remember her as a joyful and loving child. Her grandparents, who had been fighting for custody of her, were heartbroken by her loss and have criticized the child welfare system for failing to protect her. Aydah was discovered unresponsive in a bathtub at her father’s home in Gadsden, Alabama, after a welfare check was requested by family members. Her father, Nikolas Joseph DiMaso, was arrested shortly after and accused of fatally beating his daughter with his hands and fists.
The details of Aydah’s death are harrowing, with law enforcement reporting over 50 injuries on her body, indicating prolonged abuse. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the family and has become a platform for loved ones to demand justice for Aydah. Nikolas DiMaso, Aydah’s father, pleaded guilty to capital murder of a child under 14 and conspiracy to commit aggravated child abuse and received a life sentence without parole.
In addition to the criminal proceedings, a civil lawsuit has been filed against the Alabama Department of Human Resources by Aydah’s maternal grandmother. The lawsuit alleges that the state’s child welfare system failed to protect Aydah despite clear signs of abuse, naming multiple defendants, including individual caseworkers, for negligence that led to the toddler’s death.
Tommy James, the attorney representing Aydah’s estate, highlighted the severe injuries she suffered during her short life, emphasizing the need for justice. The family’s determination to seek justice extends beyond their personal tragedy, as they hope to shed light on the broader failures of child welfare systems nationwide. They are committed to ensuring that Aydah’s death serves as a catalyst for change in how vulnerable children are protected.