A Florida mother has been sentenced to life in prison over the death of her 18-month-old son. Sheila O'Leary, 38, has been convicted of murder in the starvation death of her son after feeding him only raw fruits and vegetables.
O'Leary, learned her fate Monday after her sentencing hearing was delayed four times following her conviction in late June for first-degree murder in the 2019 death of her son, Ezra O'Leary, according to a report.
O'Leary Has Been Convicted of Murder in Starvation Death of Her Son
The Cape Coral woman also was handed two 30-year sentences for aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child, and an additional five-year term for child abuse and child neglect, to be served concurrently, according to New York Post.
O'Leary, who appeared in a red prison jumpsuit, was ordered by Judge Bruce Kyle to have no contact with her surviving children.
Husband Ryan O'Leary Is Also In Jail
Her husband, Ryan O'Leary, is in jail on the same charges and awaiting his trial.
In early August, additional counts of sexual assault on a victim younger than 12, and lewd and lascivious behavior on a victim younger than 12 were filed against the dad. Investigators said the O'Leary couple told them the family ate only raw fruits and vegetables, although Ezra also was fed breast milk, according to the Post.
At the time of his death, the 18-month-old boy weighed 17 pounds, which is nearly seven pounds less than average weight. He was also similar to the size of a 7-month-old baby at the time of his death in September 19.
During Sheila O'Leary's trial, special victims unit chief at the Lee County State Attorney's Office Francine Donnorummo claimed that the child did not eat and he was starved to death over 18 months.
Investigators also underlined that O'Leary and her husband's two other children, ages 3 and 5, were also malnourished. According to the court records, their fourth child was returned to his biological father after a previous malnutrition case in Virginia.
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