A jury found a vegan mother guilty of the murder of her 18-month-old malnourished son. She had only given him breastmilk, raw vegetables, and fruits.
After a week-long trial, Shelia O’Leary (a 39-year-old mother from Florida) could be sentenced to life in prison.
O’Leary’s son, Ezra, died in September 2019 from malnutrition complications after she fed him a vegan diet for his short-lived tenure on Earth. Doctors determined that O’Leary had not fed Ezra for one week by the time he died.
O’Leary is reported to have ignored her son’s breathing difficulties and instead went to bed on the day he died.
O’Leary called 911 when her husband was also accused of murder after their son stopped breathing. Paramedics arrived and declared Ezra dead on the spot.
The couple had three children. Paramedics examined them and found that the two youngest, aged three and five, were severely malnourished. Because she had a different father, the 11-year-old was healthier than the other children.
According to the Daily Mail:
Their skin was yellow, and they had poor dental hygiene.
Prosecutors added that the couple had also been neglecting their three other children — all under age 11 — when Ezra died.
“We’re here because their children were starving so much that the youngest starved to death.”
Sheila’s 11-year-old daughter from a previous relationship and her health was considerably better than that of the other kids.
Police believe that it is due to the fact that the girl visited her dad in another state on a regular basis and was fed a proper diet there.
O’Leary was accused by Florida prosecutors of failing to seek appropriate medical care for her son when he showed signs of being sick.
“She ignored his cries. He didn’t need her to scale his bones. “She didn’t need to see his bones.” Sara Miller, Assistant State Attorney, stated during closing arguments. “We are here because their children starved so much that the youngest starved until death.
O’Leary’s sentencing is scheduled for July 25.
