20/08/2023
Brooke skylar Richardson
Born 09.03.1999
Carlisle, Ohio.
26th April, 2017 -
Brooke (now 18) attends an appointment at Hilltop obstetrics and gynaecology clinic to get some birth control pills.
Unbeknown to her parents she also had a feeling that she might already be pregnant.
This was confirmed by Dr William Andrews, who discovered she was already 32 weeks pregnant.
Brooke was visibly upset, she asked if she could have an abortion, but unfortunately for her, it was too late for that.
5th May, 2017 -
Brooke attends her senior prom.
During the evening she starts having cramps in her stomach, which she tells people is menstrual cramps.
7th May, 2017 -
Brooke gives birth a baby girl in her bathroom at the family home in the early hours.
She claims baby, who she called Annabelle, was born in the toilet, where the umbilical cord snapped and the baby was white, and not moving.
Annabelle had died.
She then buries her baby in the back garden of the home, under a tree, and moves a plant pot over the grave so she could mark the area.
8th May, 2017 -
Brooke sends a number of selfies and messages to her mother, where she gushes over the fact she is finally getting her old belly back.
Excited she can now wear cute clothes.
This is less than 24 hours after giving birth.
12th July, 2017 -
2 months later.
Brooke returns to the Hilltop OB clinic, in order to get her birth control prescription refilled.
This time she sees Dr Casey Boyce, who asked Brooke about her pregnancy and questions what happened to the baby. Knowing full well that she should have a baby by now.
Brooke immediately breaks down and confesses the whole story to Dr Boyce.
Boyce, shocked, called the police department.
14th July, 2017 -
Brooke is taken to Carlisle police station to be questioned about her daughter.
She tells the officers what happened and vigorously denied killing her baby.
The police attended the family home, where they found the skeletal remains of baby Annabelle.
An autopsy was done of the bones of Annabelle, where it was determined that she died from homicidal violence and was burnt.
A few days after her first meeting with police Brooke was brought into the police station again.
Where police told her that she has burnt her baby, a fact Brooke initially didn’t deny, she admitted to trying to cremate her baby.
She also said that Annabelle may have been moving her arms when she was born.
Brooke was officially charged with -
1. Aggravated murder.
2. Child endangerment
3. Involuntary manslaughter
4. Abuse of a co**se.
September 2019 -
Trial begins.
Prosecution points…
- Brooke never wanted the baby, and didn’t have any intention of keeping her.
- her texts with her mother about her body, which showed her selfishness and concern for her body image.
- she didn’t tell anyone about the pregnancy, due to the fear of upsetting her parents.
- her own confession where she said that Annabelle might have been moving when she was born.
Defence points…
- the dr that claimed Brooke had burnt her baby, has retracted thay statement. Meaning that the cremation confession can’t be true, and that the police were too agreesive with an 18 year old girl.
- Brooke’s description of Annabelle at birth in her first statement. Saying she was white and not moving.
- the lack of physical evidence due to the remains being only skeletal, so no cause of death could be officially confirmed.
- Brooke had an eating disorder which meant it was more likely her baby was a stillborn due to her own poor health.
Which also impacted her finding out she was pregnant, as the eating disorder affected her menstrual cycle.
Verdict…
After 8 days in trial and 4 hours deliberations by the jury….
1. Aggravated murder - NOT GUILTY
2. Child endangerment - NOT GUILTY
3. Involuntary manslaughter - NOT GUILTY
4. Abuse of a co**se - GUILTY
The judge sentenced Brooke to 3 years of community control and 7 days in prison (time served).
Meaning she was allowed to go home that day.
He also released Annabelle’s remains to the family, on the words of Brooke’s father, promising to bury her correctly and allow the father and his family to visit the grave and mourn their loss.
He said he would hold her father responsible if these things didn’t happen.
She was released from her community order 2 years early in 2020.
In 2022, judge Donald Oda in warren county signed an order that meant the records would be sealed.
Meaning that no one would have access to the records other then law enforcement, which was done in order to help Brooke move on with her life.
She completed college and is now working as a legal secretary at the law firm that worked on her defence.