‘BARBARIC’

Dad Buried His 6-Year-Old Daughter Alive, Police Say

A district attorney described it as one of the worst child abuse cases he’s ever seen.

A father has been accused of burying his 6-year-old daughter alive. John Kraft, of Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, is behind bars after social workers found bruises on the girl’s body and face in September, police said. During interviews conducted two weeks ago with the alleged victim and her sibling, investigators said the children told them Kraft would “bury her in the yard when he believes that she is lying,” a criminal complaint said. Greene County District Attorney David Russo said it’s one of the worst child abuse cases he’s ever seen. “The allegations are that this child was beaten brutally, that the child had bruises all over her body, that she was choked to the point that she had passed out,” Russo said. “She was buried in a hole as punishment. She was thrown in a hole overnight. Her head was slammed off the wall and slammed off the floor. This is a barbaric situation.” Kraft would also allegedly beat the girl with a belt and his arm, which contained a metal rod after surgery. New and old bruises were found on the girl’s body, authorities said.