Klamath County parents arrested after death of daughter

KENO, Ore. —Two parents are behind bars after police say they contributed to the death of their daughter in the Keno area.

On March 30, 2023, police found 14-year-old Fallon Murdock unresponsive in the bathtub. She was rushed to Sky Lakes Medical Center where she died.

After an autopsy, Fallon’s death was ruled a homicide by medical neglect.

The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office says parents 35-year-old Christopher Murdock and 32-year-old Karana Murdock were deemed criminally responsible for the death of Fallon and for the criminal mistreatment of their other children.

Last year, NBC5 News spoke with the biological mother of Fallon Murdock, Ashley Gathard. She said she was angered by the living conditions her daughter and the other kids were put through,

“She had no heat, no running water in that house. There was feces and urine all over… “They also hadn’t been to doctors in a really long time or school. I thought they had good lives, or I would have went back sooner.”

According to the sheriff’s office, Christopher and Karana are facing charges of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree criminal mistreatment and strangulation among others. The two are in Klamath County Jail with zero bail.

Any questions should be directed to the Klamath County District Attorney’s Office at (541) 883-5147