An appeals court Wednesday upheld the conviction of a Northwest Florida woman whose 19-day-old daughter died after the woman used methamphetamine and fell asleep.
A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal rejected arguments by Lisette Lee Taylor, who was convicted in 2021 in Jackson County of aggravated manslaughter by culpable negligence and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
The ruling said a medical examiner testified that he believed the baby died in October 2017 because of “unsafe sleep,” which can involve circumstances such as being face down in bed or sleeping with a parent.
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“The medical examiner testified that the baby exhibited no disease, genetic defect, injury, or other physical condition that might have killed her,” said the ruling, written by Judge Ross Bilbrey and joined by Judges M. Kemmerly Thomas and Robert Long.
“The examination of the baby’s body caused the medical examiner to conclude that the baby was face-down at some point before she died. He explained that very young infants are unable to lift their heads if bedding, pillows, or another’s body blocks their breathing.”
Taylor, now 33, denied having the baby in her bed, but a witness testified about seeking them sleeping together, according to the ruling.
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Taylor argued in the appeal that a circuit judge should have acquitted her before the case went to a jury because prosecutors had not proven culpable negligence.
But the appeals court said evidence during Taylor’s trial was sufficient to “allow the jury to determine whether appellant (Taylor) was guilty of aggravated manslaughter by culpable negligence.”
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