Woman seeks removal of ankle bracelet in toddler's dehydration death case

Ed Lewis, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·1 min read

Aug. 21—WILKES-BARRE — A woman facing manslaughter and child endangerment charges in relation to the death of her 19-month-old daughter is seeking to have an electronic ankle bracelet removed while she remains free on bail.

Valentina Varela-Luis, 25, of Wilkes-Barre, through her attorney, Joseph G. Albert of Kingston, filed a motion to modify conditions of her bail that requires an ankle bracelet.

The motion was filed by Albert because bail conditions for co-defendant, James Kasisky Jr., 26, does not require an ankle bracelet.

State police at Shickshinny charged Kasisky and Varela-Luis in March alleging they were negligent in not checking on their daughter, Phoenix Kasisky, for an estimated 26 hours and leaving her in a room described as "hot and dry" inside their former residence on Third Street, Newport Township, on Dec. 23, 2022.

The Luzerne County Coroner's Office reported Phoenix Kasisky died of "dehydration and metabolic imbalance due to neglect," according to court records.

When Kasisky and Varela-Luis were arrested in March, District Judge Donald Whittaker in Nanticoke jailed the pair without bail at the county correctional facility.

Whittaker on April 6 modified Varela-Luis' bail granting her release on $100,000 bail but subjected her to electronic monitoring.

Bail for James Kasisky was modified by President Judge Michael T. Vough on May 12, granting his release on $100,000 but is not subject to electronic monitoring.

Vough scheduled a bail modification hearing for Varela-Luis on Aug. 29.

James Kasisky and Varela-Luis are each facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children and reckless endangerment.