A one-year-old fell ill hours after leaving daycare and never woke up again. The woman who cared for her spent years in prison — for a defense that didn't match the actual charge against her.
The Death of Maria Harris
Stephanie Spurgeon, a Florida mother of two who had worked as a home childcare provider for 15 years, cared for one-year-old Maria Harris in August 2008. After being picked up at the end of the day, Maria fell ill and lost consciousness; she died eight days later from a cerebral hemorrhage. Doctors concluded the hemorrhage resulted from abuse, despite no visible signs of injury such as bruising or broken bones.
A Mismatched Defense
Prosecutors argued Maria's brain swelling resulted from being forcefully thrown onto a soft surface, such as a mattress — not from being shaken. However, Spurgeon's defense attorney focused primarily on disputing Shaken Baby Syndrome, a different theory the prosecution wasn't actually relying on, leaving the state's actual argument largely unchallenged at trial.
Conviction
In 2012, a jury convicted Spurgeon of manslaughter, and she was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
New Evidence
In 2018, Spurgeon was granted an opportunity to present new evidence. Medical testimony introduced at this stage showed Maria had been experiencing an untreated diabetic crisis, with blood glucose levels more than four times normal, and had a blood clot near the top of her head that a blood disease specialist testified had likely formed roughly ten days before her hospitalization — well before the day she was in Spurgeon's care. A biomechanical engineering expert also testified that tests on infant models showed Maria's injuries were inconsistent with a fall onto a mattress.
A New Trial
With support from Innocence Project attorneys, three judges reviewed the new evidence, overturned Spurgeon's conviction, and granted her a new trial, allowing her release on bond, which her family paid.
FAQ
Why was Stephanie Spurgeon's original conviction overturned?
New medical and biomechanical evidence indicated the fatal brain injury was more consistent with a preexisting medical condition than abuse, and that the original defense had not challenged the prosecution's actual theory.
What caused Maria Harris' death, according to the new evidence?
A blood clot that had likely formed roughly ten days before her hospitalization, connected to an undiagnosed diabetic crisis.
How long was Stephanie Spurgeon imprisoned?
She was convicted in 2012 and remained imprisoned until being granted a new trial and released on bond in 2018.