Greenfield woman sentenced to 7 years in baby's death
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
Highland Count Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss called a Greenfield woman's actions "despicable" after she took pills, knowing they would make her fall asleep, and left her 10-month-old daughter in the care of a 4-year-old. As a result, her infant daughter drowned in a bathtub.
Coss sentenced Jessica Miller to seven years in prison on the third-degree felony charge. The court noted that she had no prior criminal record, but that she chose to take the pills, knowing they would make her go to sleep, "and as a direct result of that conduct, your youngest child died. And your reaction was to blame the 4-year-old."
Miller had asked for community control so that she could be a part of her 4-year-old daughter's life. Coss told Miller that, "you're the last thing she needs in her life. She needs you out of her life."
According to statements made by first-responders to the scene, Miller yelled at the toddler and blamed her for what happened, and as paramedics attempted CPR on the baby they could hear the defendant saying, "Why did you do that? Look at what you did."
Miller's daughter, 10-month-old Camry Lyn Calhoun, died at her residence in the 100 block of South Washington Street in Greenfield on March 21. Deputy Highland County Coroner Dr. Jeff Beery ruled "the cause of death to be drowning and the manner of death is an accident." During the plea hearing it was stated in court that Miller took pain medication, and admitted to law enforcement that she knew it would make her go to sleep.
Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins had previously told the court that, "She left her 10-month-old in the care of her 4-year-old. Her 10-month-old, Camry, soiled her diaper, and they didn't have any wipes or anything to properly care for Camry. So, (the 4-year-old) proceeded to take her into the bathtub to wash her. (The toddler) put her in the bathtub, was washing her, washing her hair, and at some point, Camry 'fell asleep'. (The 4-year-old) let the water out of the bathtub and covered Camry up with a blanket 'because she was cold.'"
Collins said that in her work in the justice system she has been in many "deplorable" homes, but that she would rank Miller's residence "in the top five. That place was disgusting. There was nothing in that house for those babies. There were no clothes, there were no toys, there were no beds. (The sister) was 4-years-old and she's got a blanket on the floor. There was beer in the refrigerator, though. But no food in the house for these kids."
The impact of Miller's actions, Collins said, will have lasting effects on her remaining child.
"In my opinion, she deserves to go to prison for this," Collins said. "There are two victims. Not just Camry, who died that evening, but also (the) 4-year-old sister. (The toddler) doesn't realize that while she was cleaning Camry up she died in that bathtub. She thinks she just fell asleep. So at some point in (the toddler's) life she is going to realize that while she was cleaning Camry, that while her mom was passed out because she took narcotics that she knew were going to make her pass out, that she drowned her sister in the bathtub. I can't imagine what that's going to do to that little girl."
When she arrived in Greenfield the night of the incident, Collins said, she witnessed Miller laughing and joking and she would not have known that she was the victim's mother had Highland County Victim/Witness Program personnel been with her.
Collins recommended that Miller be sentenced to seven years in prison.
"I know this was not intentional, but she deserves to be punished properly for this," Collins said. "A 10-month-old child lost her life that night, and a 4-year-old is going to someday realize the true gravity of what happened that evening, and who knows the effect it is going to have on her when she is 10- or 12-years-old."
Defense attorney Lee Koogler said that Miller has said she wishes she could "take that day back." Miller opening cried as Koogler spoke and wiped tears from her face.
"She never intended for this to happen," Koogler said. "This, to her, is a horrible tragedy. And it is a horrible tragedy. She has lost a child. She has essentially lost another child. (The 4-year-old) has been in foster care and Children Services. She did take the medication which made her drowsy and ultimately she did fall asleep. She understand the culpability that she has for not watching her children during that period of time. She has told me several times that she wishes she could take that day back. She understands that she can't change what happened, and she understands that there is culpability to it. But we think sending someone in this tragic situation to prison for an extended period of time is not what is best for her or for her other child."
Koogler asked that the court sentence Miller to community control.
Miller addressed the court, saying that she wished that she could change what she did and, "I already lost one, and I don't want to lose another one."
She said that her 4-year-old child was being adopted and that she hoped that she would be able to remain a part of her life.
"That's all you have to say, then?" Coss asked Miller as she sat down, holding a tissue to her face. Koogler indicated that was all Miller had to say.
Coss said that while the death was not an intentional act, because Miller knew the pills would make her go to sleep, that made the incident criminal.
"It's clear to me that there's more going on here, that it wasn't just an accident, like people might think," Coss said. "It is not an accident you fell asleep. You took drugs - opiates - that you knew would make you fall asleep. You had two young children in your home and no one else to take care of them. If this had been the first time you took the drugs and you fell asleep, I'd understand that. That would, perhaps, make it more likely that it wasn't even a crime. But in this case, you knew what the risks were. And it's striking to the court, and deplorable, as Mrs. Collins indicated, that you had beer in the refrigerator and nothing else for the kids. Then what really strikes me and what really offends me - and makes it even more offensive when I hear from the prosecutor your demeanor at the police station - is that while you're in your home and you just found one of your children dead (that Miller blamed the 4-year-old)."
Coss read statements from the first-responsders regarding how Miller yelled at the child.
"Then, at the police station you're laughing and carrying on, with no real emotion for the loss of your child," Coss said. "The emotion you were having was anger toward the 4-year old, that she's the one that did it. Maybe you thought that was going to get you out of a criminal prosecution, but you were wrong. Certainly it suggests to the court (the 4-year-old) is better off without you. There is absolutely no incentive for the court to put you on community control so you can get back in this child's life. Based upon what you did, and the nature in which she's going to be suffering, you're the last thing she needs in her life. She needs you out of her life. She is going to be having lifelong issues because of this, and your response ... to blame her, is despicable. I can't imagine a lower type of conduct than that."
Coss sentenced Miller to seven years in prison with 88 days of jail time credit. She was taken into custody by the Highland County Sheriff's Office, and is to begin serving the sentence immediately.
Highland Count Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss called a Greenfield woman's actions "despicable" after she took pills, knowing they would make her fall asleep, and left her 10-month-old daughter in the care of a 4-year-old. As a result, her infant daughter drowned in a bathtub.
Coss sentenced Jessica Miller to seven years in prison on the third-degree felony charge. The court noted that she had no prior criminal record, but that she chose to take the pills, knowing they would make her go to sleep, "and as a direct result of that conduct, your youngest child died. And your reaction was to blame the 4-year-old."
Miller had asked for community control so that she could be a part of her 4-year-old daughter's life. Coss told Miller that, "you're the last thing she needs in her life. She needs you out of her life."
According to statements made by first-responders to the scene, Miller yelled at the toddler and blamed her for what happened, and as paramedics attempted CPR on the baby they could hear the defendant saying, "Why did you do that? Look at what you did."
Miller's daughter, 10-month-old Camry Lyn Calhoun, died at her residence in the 100 block of South Washington Street in Greenfield on March 21. Deputy Highland County Coroner Dr. Jeff Beery ruled "the cause of death to be drowning and the manner of death is an accident." During the plea hearing it was stated in court that Miller took pain medication, and admitted to law enforcement that she knew it would make her go to sleep.
Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins had previously told the court that, "She left her 10-month-old in the care of her 4-year-old. Her 10-month-old, Camry, soiled her diaper, and they didn't have any wipes or anything to properly care for Camry. So, (the 4-year-old) proceeded to take her into the bathtub to wash her. (The toddler) put her in the bathtub, was washing her, washing her hair, and at some point, Camry 'fell asleep'. (The 4-year-old) let the water out of the bathtub and covered Camry up with a blanket 'because she was cold.'"
Collins said that in her work in the justice system she has been in many "deplorable" homes, but that she would rank Miller's residence "in the top five. That place was disgusting. There was nothing in that house for those babies. There were no clothes, there were no toys, there were no beds. (The sister) was 4-years-old and she's got a blanket on the floor. There was beer in the refrigerator, though. But no food in the house for these kids."
The impact of Miller's actions, Collins said, will have lasting effects on her remaining child.
"In my opinion, she deserves to go to prison for this," Collins said. "There are two victims. Not just Camry, who died that evening, but also (the) 4-year-old sister. (The toddler) doesn't realize that while she was cleaning Camry up she died in that bathtub. She thinks she just fell asleep. So at some point in (the toddler's) life she is going to realize that while she was cleaning Camry, that while her mom was passed out because she took narcotics that she knew were going to make her pass out, that she drowned her sister in the bathtub. I can't imagine what that's going to do to that little girl."
When she arrived in Greenfield the night of the incident, Collins said, she witnessed Miller laughing and joking and she would not have known that she was the victim's mother had Highland County Victim/Witness Program personnel been with her.
Collins recommended that Miller be sentenced to seven years in prison.
"I know this was not intentional, but she deserves to be punished properly for this," Collins said. "A 10-month-old child lost her life that night, and a 4-year-old is going to someday realize the true gravity of what happened that evening, and who knows the effect it is going to have on her when she is 10- or 12-years-old."
Defense attorney Lee Koogler said that Miller has said she wishes she could "take that day back." Miller opening cried as Koogler spoke and wiped tears from her face.
"She never intended for this to happen," Koogler said. "This, to her, is a horrible tragedy. And it is a horrible tragedy. She has lost a child. She has essentially lost another child. (The 4-year-old) has been in foster care and Children Services. She did take the medication which made her drowsy and ultimately she did fall asleep. She understand the culpability that she has for not watching her children during that period of time. She has told me several times that she wishes she could take that day back. She understands that she can't change what happened, and she understands that there is culpability to it. But we think sending someone in this tragic situation to prison for an extended period of time is not what is best for her or for her other child."
Koogler asked that the court sentence Miller to community control.
Miller addressed the court, saying that she wished that she could change what she did and, "I already lost one, and I don't want to lose another one."
She said that her 4-year-old child was being adopted and that she hoped that she would be able to remain a part of her life.
"That's all you have to say, then?" Coss asked Miller as she sat down, holding a tissue to her face. Koogler indicated that was all Miller had to say.
Coss said that while the death was not an intentional act, because Miller knew the pills would make her go to sleep, that made the incident criminal.
"It's clear to me that there's more going on here, that it wasn't just an accident, like people might think," Coss said. "It is not an accident you fell asleep. You took drugs - opiates - that you knew would make you fall asleep. You had two young children in your home and no one else to take care of them. If this had been the first time you took the drugs and you fell asleep, I'd understand that. That would, perhaps, make it more likely that it wasn't even a crime. But in this case, you knew what the risks were. And it's striking to the court, and deplorable, as Mrs. Collins indicated, that you had beer in the refrigerator and nothing else for the kids. Then what really strikes me and what really offends me - and makes it even more offensive when I hear from the prosecutor your demeanor at the police station - is that while you're in your home and you just found one of your children dead (that Miller blamed the 4-year-old)."
Coss said because the 4-year-old knew enough to try to change the baby's diaper and to clean her up showed that this was not a one-time incident, and that she was used to caring for the infant.
Coss said because the 4-year-old knew enough to try to change the baby's diaper and to clean her up showed that this was not a one-time incident, and that she was used to caring for the infant.
Coss read statements from the first-responsders regarding how Miller yelled at the child.
"Then, at the police station you're laughing and carrying on, with no real emotion for the loss of your child," Coss said. "The emotion you were having was anger toward the 4-year old, that she's the one that did it. Maybe you thought that was going to get you out of a criminal prosecution, but you were wrong. Certainly it suggests to the court (the 4-year-old) is better off without you. There is absolutely no incentive for the court to put you on community control so you can get back in this child's life. Based upon what you did, and the nature in which she's going to be suffering, you're the last thing she needs in her life. She needs you out of her life. She is going to be having lifelong issues because of this, and your response ... to blame her, is despicable. I can't imagine a lower type of conduct than that."
Coss sentenced Miller to seven years in prison with 88 days of jail time credit. She was taken into custody by the Highland County Sheriff's Office, and is to begin serving the sentence immediately.
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