Columbus, OH – According to the court documents, the 40-year-old mom, later identified as MeIissa, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 20 years for her role in the death of her baby. The woman pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and was sentenced on Thursday. Prosecutors claim the woman called 911 days after she broke her baby’s skuII and then left the child’s body to decmpose in the house for several days.
The investigation began in September 2022 after the mother called the authorities and told the dispatcher that her baby is not responsive. The responding officers pronounced the child dead at the scene and realized that his body started decmposing. The first responders realized that the child has been dead for several days and authorities launched an investigation.
The medical examiner told investigators that the baby suffered a bIunt force trauma to the head and his skuII was broken. An autopsy reportedly revealed that the baby’s fatal injury was his skuII being crushed after his head was placed between 2 objects. The defendant’s lawyer reportedly argued that the woman was at a sober living facility where the fatal incident occurred.
The mother was reportedly unaware of her pregnancy until the moment she went into labor, the attorney argued. The defence attorney also said that ‘his client believed her pregnancy was a kidney stone and she delivered the baby herself’, per reports. According to the court documents, the mother initially pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but the not-guilty plea was withdrawn.