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Thread: Death Penalty Pursued for Symantha Sullivan in 2020 PA Slaying of Isaiah Sullivan

  1. #1
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    Death Penalty Pursued for Symantha Sullivan in 2020 PA Slaying of Isaiah Sullivan





    Prosecution seeking death penalty against mother of deceased infant

    At her formal arraignment Monday in Washington County Court, Symantha Sullivan learned she faces the death penalty in connection with the killing of her baby son.

    Sullivan, 25, of Coal Center, appeared before a judge via video streamed from Washington County jail.

    Isaiah Sullivan was just a few months old at the time of his death Oct. 26 from injuries he suffered in mid-September, when state police were initially alerted to potential abuse.

    Sullivan is accused of punching Isaiah in the back of his head out of frustration that he wouldn’t fall asleep Sept. 10.

    Sullivan allegedly admitted to dropping Isaiah on his head in the bathtub a few days prior to police responding Sept. 11 to America’s Best Value Inn and Suites in Canton Township, where Sullivan had been staying with her boyfriend and her children.

    The infant became unconscious and was flown to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh where he was placed on life support.

    According to the criminal complaint, he suffered a brain injury, skull fracture, spinal damage, an eye injury and many other fractures.

    Judge Valarie Costanzo read to Sullivan a host of charges including criminal homicide, a first-degree felony; three counts of aggravated assault; endangering the welfare of children; simple assault, recklessly endangering another person; and harassment.

    Assistant Public Defender Rose Semple entered a plea of not guilty on Sullivan's behalf.

    First Assistant District Attorney Jason Walsh said the prosecution is seeking the death penalty because Isaiah's death occurred during the perpetration of a felony; the actions leading to the death involved torture; and because the victim was so young.

    The judge also, at Walsh's request, revoked Sullivan's $2 million bond.

    "You're not entitled to (bond) under the law if it's a first-degree homicide or a capital offense," Walsh said after the hearing concluded.

    The courtroom had been cleared so Semple, who is awaiting recertification paperwork that allows her to represent a defendant in a capital case, could confer privately with her client.

    While the district attorney's office must declare "aggravating" circumstances early in the course of prosecution, Semple said after the arraignment the defense counters with mitigating factors much later in a criminal case.

    "That's not something we would present even before a sentencing hearing," she said. "Right now, we're just taking it step by step.

    "I think there is a lot more to this case than meets the eye, and I'm through a lot of investigation we'll be able to bring that to light."

    The judge scheduled a pretrial conference for the morning of Feb. 17, and Semple said she also intends to request a habeas corpus hearing so Costanzo can evaluate the evidence.

    (source: observer-reporter.com)
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  2. #2
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Okay this is awful. The mother posted this on a mother's support group and tried blaming her two year old for the deceased babies injuries.

    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  3. #3
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    More charges filed against mother accused of killing infant

    Laboratory results reveal that a Coal Center mother, jailed on homicide charges, may have been poisoning her infant son prior to his October death resulting from physical abuse.

    The Washington County District Attorney’s office filed a motion last week after receiving lab results that showed “significant ethanol” in 3-month-old Isaiah Sullivan’s formula, which was seized by state police when they were first alerted to the alleged abuse in September.

    His mother, Symantha Sullivan, 25, is awaiting trial in jail without bail after being accused of punching baby Isaiah in the back of the head Sept. 10 when he wouldn’t fall asleep. Sullivan allegedly admitted to police that she had dropped the child on his head in a bathtub a few days prior.

    Isaiah was unresponsive Sept. 11 after additional alleged abuse and was flown to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where he was placed on life support. He suffered a brain injury, skull fracture, spinal damage and several other fractures before he died Oct. 26.

    The prosecution found through discovery that Sullivan had been “poisoning, sedating, and/or drugging the victim with ethanol/ethyl alcohol in his bottle,” the motion states. It also states that “witnesses claimed she used Nyquil and melatonin to subdue the baby,” which the prosecution intends to bring up during the trial.

    According to the motion, lab results from Dec. 9 and Jan. 14 showed ethanol/ethyl alcohol was in the formula. The lab results were not completed when the initial charges were filed, the motion states.

    Common Pleas Judge John DiSalle granted Thursday the motion that will include the lab results in the case, but not alter the charges in any way. DiSalle also granted a motion for a mental health consultation for Sullivan, according to court documents.

    Sullivan is charged with criminal homicide and multiple counts of aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children, recklessly endangering another person, simple assault and harassment. Assistant Public Defender Rose Semple entered a plea of not guilty on Sullivan’s behalf.

    The prosecution is seeking the death penalty.

    (source: Observer-Reporter)
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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