Missouri Mother’s Life Sentence is All About Baby

Earlier this week a mother of two in Missouri was ordered to spend the rest of her life in prison because she was found to be the cause of her son’s drowning. She was convicted of felony child abuse and neglect.

The Jury Felt it Was All About Baby

The woman, Sydney Jones, 29, was found guilty in the July 2017 death of her son Keith, and she was sentenced last week. After hearing the testimony of Jones’ male friend and several others, the jury believed that Jones was guilty of drowning her son Keith Lars III. Baby Keith had an older sister, aged 2.

Did the State Miss a Diagnosis?

According to a psychologist who testified at the trial, she felt that the state was partially at fault for the baby’s death because it missed diagnosing Ms. Jones as a paranoid schizophrenic. In situations where it is all about baby, social workers are tasked with making sure that children are safe. The psychologist stated that Ms. Jones felt that she was possessed, and police reported that she behaved in a strange manner while they were at the scene and called herself a child of God.

Friend’s Testimony Sets the Stage

The most damaging testimony came from Ms. Jones’, friend Anthony Holmes. Holmes stated that he had agreed to help Ms. Jones move and she had driven from her home in St. Joseph to his home in Kansas City (over an hour away) to pick up him and his 1-year-old son, Zion.

Mr. Holmes testified that after Ms. Jones picked up him and his son, and were on their way to St. Joseph, they had to go back to Kansas City because Ms. Jones had left her keys behind. He suggested that they all stay the night there, but Ms. Jones insisted on returning to St. Joseph and getting started with the packing up. During the drive, Mr. Holmes had to take the wheel because Ms. Jones had fallen asleep. When they arrived in St. Joseph, it became all about baby care and getting the three children inside and put to bed.

However, Ms. Jones stayed in the car and took a short nap while Mr. Holmes took the children to the apartment and fed baby Keith a bottle. It was then that Ms. Jones took up the baby boy health bathing, and mom took Keith to give him a bath. Mr. Holmes said that many minutes later, he went into the bathroom because he still heard the water running. Upon entering the bathroom he found Ms. Jones nearly up to her elbows in the water, holding Keith down. He said he had to struggle with her for a few moments before he could get Keith out of the bathtub. He tried CPR without success and then grabbed his son Zion and drove to a convenience store where he dialed 911.

Was She Mentally Ill, or Just Physically Exhausted?

When you have a child, it should always be all about baby care and their wellbeing. However, Ms. Jones certainly wasn’t following any baby advice websites, bathing tips we can follow when she took Keith for his bath.

Ms. Jones’ defense attorney stated that the drowning was a horrible accident that happened after a very long, exhausting day. While bathing Keith, his mother simply fell asleep with her hands, and then her arms on top of the baby, accidentally holding him under the water.

During the trial, six minutes of the 911 call was played for the jury, and during it, Mr. Holmes states that his female friend had drowned her baby and he didn’t know why she would kill her son.