Richardson was found guilty Thursday of abuse of a corpse for burying her newborn baby in her backyard on May 7, 2017, in Carlisle. She also had been accused of murdering the baby, but the jury returned not guilty verdicts on charges of aggravated murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangering.
She was sentenced today to no jail time and three years of community control.
MORE ON THE VERDICTS
• Jury finds Richardson not guilty on murder charge
• 'This was well over-charged from the get-go': Sides react to verdicts
Key during the trial was an early forensic report that said the baby’s remains were charred. The expert who made that determination later recanted the belief, but prosecutors presented an interrogation video of Richardson telling investigators she might have tried to cremate her baby.
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
The defense claimed the investigators were overzealous in their questioning of Richardson during that interrogation because they believed at the time the baby had been burned.
“There was no proof at all, and the prosecutors did not prove their case,” she said. “I had a difficult time as the prosecutors insisted on the (baby) burning theory. They had no proof. It was based on a false premise, and they knew it.”
Grawe said the expert corrected herself about the baby being burned, yet the prosecutors still proceeded with the case.
“I think that really hurt the prosecution, in my opinion,” she said.
Grawe said the jury worked well together.
“We did not feel the prosecution proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt,” she said. “ We were all in agreement about that.”
TRIAL COVERAGE
• Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Day 5 | Day 6 | Day 7
• WATCH all videos from Brooke Skylar Richardson trial
• Timeline: Events in the Carlisle buried baby case
• Quotes: Key things said during the Richardson trial
• The 28 people who testified over 6 days
Credit: DaytonDailyNews
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