Quote:
Originally Posted by Toughy
I don't believe she was charged with aggravated child abuse. I could well be wrong.
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No she wasn't and there was no proof (any history of child protective services intervention or calls to police) of her being an abusive parent. her own parents did not make any statements of her being abusive or neglectful (of course, they practically raised this little girl). No friends or boyfriends, neighbors, etc. were on the stand that witnessed any abuse.
Sometimes with cases as horrific as this one and as widely publicized and scruitinized, based on circumstantial evidence without any DNA or some other forensic "silver bullet," really do end up with the "court of public opinion" over shadowing the lack of conclusive evidence.
I hate it that this obviously disturbed and dysfunctional young woman will be out in society. Personally, I think she either caused an accidental death or otherwise- simply an act of neglecting just how easily a little kid can drown or die of things like being left in a closed up car. Think of parents that have left kids or babies in cars for 10 minutes and caused their death or the child being abducted.
I wonder too if the state didn't blow it by insisting on a 1st degree murder death penalty jury. Jurers selected as such can be much harder to convince in a circumstantial case. They were chosen because they will impose death.
I just feel like there were many variables as to why she was found not guilty. She certainly isn't innocent of either wrong or neglectful behavior, however.