Slain toddler, family were unknown to child protective services

The Department of Children and Families is investigating Ariana Smyth's violent death could have been prevented.

TRENTON -- Child welfare workers had no prior contact with the family of the toddler who was allegedly killed and sexually assaulted by her mother's boyfriend earlier this month, according to the commissioner of the state's Department of Children and Families. 

Allison Blake, who heads the department that oversees child protection services, said in an email to employees and child welfare professionals that the agency hadn't provided services to Ariana Smyth or her family either before or after her death. 

Ariana, who would've turned two on July 15, died on July 5 after she was taken off life support at Cooper University Hospital, where she was brought two days prior to suffering from severe head injuries as well as signs of sexual assault. 

Her mother's boyfriend of two weeks, 22-year-old Michael Disporto Jr. of Manahawkin, has been charged with first-degree murder and first-degree sexual assault in connection with Ariana's death. Her mother, 26-year-old Amber Bobo of Gloucester City, faces one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. 

"Our hearts ache over the cruel and heinous murder of 2-year-old Ariana Smyth," Blake wrote, adding that while department is investigating the case, she believes it's clear Disporto and Bobo are responsible for Ariana's death.

During Disporto's arraignment on July 8, Camden County Assistant Prosecutor Christine Shah laid out the timeline of events leading up to Ariana's death based on Bobo's statement to police. 

Bobo told authorities she and Disporto had picked Ariana up from the toddler's father in Cape May County and returned to Bobo's apartment in Gloucester City, where Disporto spent time alone with Ariana at both a park and a fireworks show. 

The horrific final days of Ariana Smyth

Bobo and Ariana both slept in the bedroom they shared that evening while Disporto spent the night on the couch, but Bobo awoke early in the morning to find Ariana wrapped in a blanket on the couch while Disporto smoked a cigarette outside. The toddler was wearing a different outfit than the one she was put to bed wearing and had bruising on both sides of her forehead.

Bobo later noticed additional bruises on Ariana's body, including on her genitals, and confronted Disporto. He denied causing the injuries and convinced Bobo not to take Ariana to a hospital, fearing "what people would think." 

The couple instead covered her bruises with a hat and took her on two separate trips to the Deptford Mall, where Ariana began to vomit, prosecutors say. Bobo called EMTs later that evening after Ariana vomited two more times and lost consciousness. 

The toddler was taken to Cooper and diagnosed with bleeding and fluid on the brain, bruising consistent with sexual assault, a broken arm, bruising and fluid in the lungs and both blood and urine in her abdomen.

Doctors performed emergency brain surgery, but after they were unable to detect any brain activity days later, she was taken off life support. 

Both Bobo and Disporto remain in Camden County Jail in lieu of $100,000 and $1.5 million bail, respectively. 

In her email, Blake said that no other children were abused or neglected in connection with the crime but they're continuing to investigate Ariana's death and how it could've been averted.

"We hope to better understand why Ariana died such a violent death and how to prevent a similar tragedy in the future," she wrote.