Gizzell Kiara Ford murder: Helen Ford, Ill. grandmother, charged with strangling 8-year-old grandaughter

(CBS) -- A Chicago grandmother has been charged with strangling her 8-year-old granddaughter to death in the family's apartment CBS Chicago reports. The body of the girl, Gizzell Kiara Ford, reportedly showed evidence of child abuse, including cuts, burns, and blunt force trauma to the head.

Helen Ford, 51, was ordered held without bond Sunday, according to the report. She is facing first-degree murder charges. The girl was found dead Friday morning.

Maggots in the lacerations on the girl's head had hatched while she was still alive and spread to the front of her scalp, authorities said.

The girl reportedly had cuts to her face, ears, and lips, bruising and puncture wounds, ligature marks on her ankles and wrists, and circular burn marks similar to cigarette burns. Authorities recovered a pole, twine and cables from the home, some of which had blood on them, prosecutors said.

Helen Ford was the sole caretaker for the girl and her two siblings, who have been removed from the home and placed in protective custody, according to the report. The girl's father also lived in the home, but a prosecutor said he was bedridden and incapable of inflicting the injuries.

The girl's uncle, Osvaldo J. Mercado told the Chicago Tribune that Helen Ford had been giving excuses to family members for several months explaining why they couldn't visit Gizzell.

"Gizzell can't talk, she's in the shower or on punishment. It was an excuse every time we called," Mercado told the Tribune.