My First News Item
My Nine News ItemThe Wrongful Conviction of Stephanie Spurgeon
Stephanie Spurgeon, a woman from Florida, was wrongly imprisoned for a crime she didn't commit. She was supposed to be released from jail on August 3, 2020. Spurgeon was accused of causing the death of Maria Harris, a baby who became unresponsive while traveling home after spending her first day in Spurgeon's care in August 2008.
Stephanie Spurgeon, a married mother of two, had been working as a home childcare provider for fifteen years. One of the children under her care was Maria Harris, a one-year-old. Unfortunately, after Maria was picked up at the end of the day, she fell ill and fell asleep. Tragically, she never woke up and eight days later, she passed away due to a cerebral hemorrhage.
Doctors determined that the brain hemorrhage suffered by the child was a result of abuse, even though there were no visible signs of harm or injury such as cuts, broken bones, or neck injuries. The prosecution argued that the baby's brain swelling was caused by repeatedly throwing her onto a soft surface like a mattress. However, instead of addressing the specific accusation of throwing the child, Spurgeon's lawyer argued against the theory that the baby died from being shaken, which the prosecutors did not rely on during the trial.
Stephanie Spurgeon reacts to the jury finding her guilty of manslaughter at the Pinellas County Criminal Justice Center in 2012.
In 2018, Stephanie Spurgeon was given the opportunity for a new trial based on new evidence that could prove her innocence.
Back in 2012, Spurgeon was convicted and received a 15-year prison sentence. She was found guilty of manslaughter because the prosecutors argued during her trial that the enlargement of the girl's brain could only have occurred as a result of abuse.
Spurgeon's defense lawyer plans to challenge her conviction by presenting scientific evidence from fields like biomechanical engineering and clinical pathology. Filmmaker Seth Miller believes that Spurgeon's defense attorney didn't present crucial evidence that could have resulted in her acquittal. Instead of addressing the prosecution's actual theory that the baby was thrown onto a soft surface, Spurgeon's attorney focused on disproving the concept of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS).
Shaken infant syndrome usually occurs when a parent or caregiver shakes a child forcefully due to frustration or anger, often when the child won't stop crying. This can lead to severe consequences such as death or permanent brain damage.
Common symptoms of shaken infant syndrome include restlessness, difficulty staying awake, seizures, abnormal breathing, feeding difficulties, bruises, and vomiting.
What actually happened
Several tests performed on Maria while she was in the hospital uncovered that she was going through an untreated diabetic crisis. Her blood glucose level was more than four times the normal range, and she had a blood clot in a vein at the top of her head.
During the trial, Dr. Michael Laposata, a specialist in blood diseases, provided testimony stating that the blood clot in Maria's head had formed around ten days prior to her hospitalization. Furthermore, there were no bruises on her head that would have indicated physical abuse.
Chris Van Ee, a biomechanical engineering expert from Michigan, also testified that tests conducted on dummy models of infants showed that Maria's brain injury could not have occurred from falling onto a mattress.
Stephanie consistently claimed her innocence, and two Innocence Programs decided to support her case. After lawyers presented their discoveries, three judges overturned Stephanie's conviction, granted her a new trial, and allowed her to release on bond. Stephanie's family paid the bond amount.