The jury has reached a verdict in the case of 20-year-old Skylar Brooke Richardson — cheerleaders from Ohio, allegedly burnt his newborn daughter alive and buried in the backyard of his parent’s house two years ago.
After a discussion that lasted 4 hours and 25 minutes, they decided that the girl is not guilty of aggravated murder, unintentional murder and endangering the child’s health.
Richardson was charged with murder and desecration of a body newborn daughter in July 2017, when she was 18 years old. According to the Prosecutor, the girl killed the baby immediately after birth, then buried in the backyard. The lawyer, in turn, argued that the girl was born already dead. Richardson also insisted on his innocence.
The medical examiner could not determine the cause of death of the baby: by the time the body was found, he was just bones.
On Wednesday morning, jurors heard stories of Skylar Brooke Richardson’s kindness. Of how she sat w/ students at lunch who no one else would sit with.
Jurors also heard testimony about a «personality disorder» & how she had been sexually abused.https://t.co/3w4SAzIr4a pic.twitter.com/xmUj37cPnw
— Keith BieryGolick (@KBieryGolick) September 11, 2019
In the process, the prosecution argued that Richardson went to the murder because he did not want to become a mother at such a young age, to ruin his reputation and destroy the plans for the College. According to court documents, the girl never was on the ultrasound, did blood tests, did not attend doctors and ignored their calls, demonstrating a complete lack of interest in the fate of the child.
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In an interview with police, she allegedly stated that it refused to speak with the doctor because he was afraid and «didn’t want to have a baby.» According to the girl, she «had no idea that he was going to do» and considered the possibility of an abortion — but then found out that it is already too late. Brooke denies that she tried to do the procedure at home.
Skylar Brooke Richardson, 20, was accused of killing her newborn baby and buring her in the backyard in an unmarked grave. She was acquitted of the most serious charges against her. #smh#thisishowwhitesupremacyworks pic.twitter.com/E1tBivT2We
— 🇺 🇸 Tariq Nasheed (@tariqnasheed) September 13, 2019
Prosecutors also alleged that Richardson tried to find online information at the request of «how to get rid of the baby», after found out about the pregnancy.
The lawyers acknowledged that she really buried her newborn in his back yard — as panicked and didn’t know what to do with the remains — but denies murder charges. In addition, they believed that the police took advantage of the vulnerable mental state of the suspect during interrogation to put her in a bad light.
Desecration of a corpse is the only crime for which Richardson will be punished. On Friday, September 13, the girl was sentenced to 3 years of probation.
«I would agree with any decision of the judge <…>. I know what I did, and want you to know that I’m sorry. said Richardson after sentencing — Sometimes I can be selfish, but I want to believe that I felt better, realizing how upset and hurt others through their actions. I will always regret what happened. I am really sorry».
