Sharnique N. Jones was convicted by a jury of second degree murder, second degree assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. On appeal, she raises four points of error. In her first three points, she claims the trial court erred in overruling her motions for judgment of acquittal on each offense for which she was convicted because there was insufficient evidence to support a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In her fourth point, Ms. Jones claims the trial court plainly erred in admitting into evidence statements she made to the police as evidence of guilt of murder in the second degree because the state failed to establish the corpus delicti. Because the state presented evidence that sufficiently established the corpus delicti of the murder offense and because there was sufficient evidence from which a reasonable juror could find Ms. Jones guilty of each offense, this Court affirms the judgment of the trial court.
Factual and Procedural Background
Sharnique Jones gave birth to her daughter, S.J., on January 3, 2008. Between January 6 and March 21, 2008, Ms. Jones took S.J. to the hospital 12 times for a variety of health problems. Ms. Jones first brought S.J. to the hospital because S.J. was jaundiced, but doctors determined it was not at a level requiring treatment. She next brought S.J. to the emergency room, complaining that she had a fever and was not eating. S.J. did not have a fever when she was in the emergency room, and staff reported that S.J. ate well while at the hospital. Several days later, Ms. Jones brought S.J. to the hospital with a possible Zantac overdose.
Over the next couple of months, Ms. Jones continued to bring S.J. to the hospital frequently because of other health concerns. Three times, she reported that S.J. was experiencing apnea, which occurs when a person stops breathing for more than 10 seconds. Overall, S.J. appeared healthy and had normal vital signs during her visits, but a pediatric neurologist observed that S.J. was experiencing seizures and, on two occasions, her seizures were confirmed by an EEG. The seizures were not life threaténing, and S.J. was prescribed medication to control them.
During these visits, medical staff instructed Ms. Jones regarding proper feeding and safe sleeping practices for newborns. They also provided her with information about community resources available to new mothers. Ms. Jones was educated about safe sleeping practices
On April 7, 2008, Ms. Jones called 911, informing the operator that she had laid S.J. in a bassinet and later found her not breathing. Pine Lawn Police Chief Rickey Collins was the first to arrive at the scene, and he performed CPR on S.J. until the paramedics arrived. The paramedics were unable to resuscitate S.J., and she was pronounced dead at the hospital. Dr. Ariel Goldschmidt, a doctor working on a fellowship in the St. Louis medical examiner’s office, initially determined S.J.’s cause of death to be death by natural causes from a seizure disorder. He determined the cause of death based on Ms. Jones’ statements to the investigator from the medical examiner’s office and S.J.’s medical history because there was no other cause of death apparent from the physical autopsy or the toxicology and laboratory reports. The chief medical examiner, Dr. Michael Graham, signed the death certificate with that determination.
Ms. Jones gave birth to a son, D.W., on January 18, 2009. Two days later, Ms. Jones brought D.W. to the hospital, reporting that he was jaundiced. The hospital admitted D.W. for malnutrition, lethargy, and marginal dehydration. Ms. Jones reported that D.W. was not waking himself up to feed and that he did not want to eat at home. He was receiving only 80 calories a day but needed between 250 and 275 calories per day. The hospital put D.W. on a feeding program using a nasogastric tube to drip formula directly into his stomach.
Three days later, Ms. Jones took D.W. to the hospital after reporting that he had stopped breathing while she was feeding him. Concerned because of S.J.’s history, doctors performed an extensive neurological workup on D.W. but were unable to determine the cause of the reported apnea. The medical staff believed, however, that Ms. Jones was continuing to underfeed D.W., and they made multiple attempts to talk to her about the amount of formula D.W. needed. They referred D.W.’s case to the state children’s division, which took protective custody of D.W. After he gained enough weight, the hospital discharged him into the care of a foster parent. He continued to gain weight while in her care.
Detective Harolton Clayborn investigated the nutritional neglect of D.W. Ms. Jones agreed to talk to him about D.W. at police headquarters, and she signed a Miranda
The state charged Ms. Jones with second degree murder for causing the death of S.J. by suffocation, first degree endangering the welfare of a child by acting in a manner that created a substantial risk to the life and health of D.W., and first degree assault for knowingly causing serious physical injury to D.W. After a trial, the jury found her guilty of second degree murder, first degree endangering the welfare of a child, and the lesser included offense of second degree assault. The trial court sentenced Ms. Jones to concurrent sentences of 15 years for murder and seven years each for endangering the welfare of a child and assault. Ms. Jones appealed. On its own motion as authorized in article V, section 10 of the Missouri Constitution, the court of appeals transferred the case to this Court after opinion.
Corpus Delicti Established
In her fourth point on appeal, Ms. Jones argues the trial court plainly erred in admitting her out-of-court statements as substantive evidence of second-degree murder because the state failed to prove the corpus delicti of the offense. As Ms. Jones admits, this point may be reviewed only for plain error because she failed to raise this objection to the trial court.
“ ‘The plain error rule is to be used sparingly and may not be used to justify a review of every point that has not been otherwise preserved for appellate review.’ ” Letica,
“[0]ut-of-court confessions, statements, or admissions by the accused are generally not admissible unless they are corroborated by independent evidence, either circumstantial or direct, showing the corpus delicti of the crime.” State v. Edwards,
[Ajbsolute proof independent of [a defendant’s] statement or confession that a crime was committed is not required. All that is required is evidence of circumstances tending to prove the corpus delicti corresponding with the confession. Slight corroborating facts are sufficient to establish the corpus delicti. The determination of whether there is sufficient independent evidence of the corpus delicti of an offense is fact specific and requires a case-by-case evaluation.
[[Image here]]
The State is only required to prove that someone committed the crime with [i]ndependent evidence of circumstances which correspond and interrelate with the circumstances described in the statement or confession.
Here, Ms. Jones has not established facially substantial grounds for believing that admitting her statements to police at trial was an “evident, obvious, and clear” error or that it caused “manifest injustice or a miscarriage of justice.” Baumruk,
Because these corroborating facts were in the record, Ms. Jones has failed to establish facially substantial grounds for believing that it was an evident, obvious, and clear error to admit her statements and that manifest injustice or a miscarriage of justice has occurred. Therefore, this Court declines to review for plain error. Baumruk,
Sufficiency of the Evidence
Ms. Jones challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support her convictions for second degree murder, first degree endangering the welfare of a child, and second degree assault. This Court’s review “is limited to a determination of whether there was sufficient evidence from which a reasonable juror might have found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” State v. Moore,
Sufficient Evidence of Second-Degree Murder
Mother first argues the state failed to prove that she knew or was aware that her conduct was practically certain to cause S.J.’s death. To obtain a conviction of second degree murder, the state must prove that a defendant knowingly caused the death of another person. See section 565.021.1.
In Ms. Jones’ case, the state presented evidence from which a reasonable juror could find beyond a reasonable doubt that Ms. Jones was aware that laying S.J. on her stomach with her face in a pillow was practically certain to cause S.J.’s death.
The jury also heard Ms. Jones’ statement to Detective Clayborn, in which she said that she was feeling “overwhelmed” and “frustrated” by S.J.’s constant crying on the day S.J. died. She stated that she tried to get S.J. to stop crying by feeding her, changing her diaper and clothes, giving her a bath, rocking her, and putting her in her swing. She confessed that she eventually became frustrated to the point that she felt like harming herself or S.J. Ms. Jones then placed S.J. on her stomach with her face in a pillow on an adult bed while S.J. was crying. She went downstairs, planning to commit suicide, and “didn’t think twice about what was going to happen to [S.J.] or [herself].” She left S.J. lying on her stomach on the bed with her face in a pillow for at least 15 or 20 minutes. Reasonable jurors could conclude from Ms. Jones’ statement that she laid S.J. with her face in the pillow knowing that S.J. would suffocate after becoming so frustrated with S.J.’s crying that she wanted to harm her. Additionally, the length of time that Ms. Jones stated she left S.J. on the bed also infers that she acted knowingly. Fifteen to 20 minutes is a considerable amount of time, considering the warnings Ms. Jones had been given regarding the risk of suffocation when placing an infant on her stomach with her face in a pillow. Yet, she did not check on S.J. sooner.
Further, Ms. Jones’ conduct after finding S.J. raises an inference that she acted knowingly. When Ms. Jones’ called 911, she reported that she had placed S.J. in the bassinet and came back to find her not breathing. She later admitted that she had placed S.J. on the adult bed. Ms. Jones’ false statement that she placed S.J. in the bassinet demonstrates a consciousness of guilt and supports a guilty verdict. See State v. Rodden,
Ms. Jones points to the initial determination that S.J. died of a seizure disorder and evidence of the numerous times she took S.J. to the hospital, arguing it shows that she was a young mother seeking medical care for her child. Ms. Jones’ argument ignores the standard of review. In reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, this Court disregards any evidence and inferences contrary to the verdict. State v. Miller,
Sufficient Evidence of First-Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child
Next, Ms. Jones asserts that there was insufficient evidence to support her conviction of first degree endangering the welfare of a child because the state failed to prove she acted knowingly. A person commits the offense of first degree child endangerment when the person “knowingly acts in a manner that creates a substantial risk to the life, body, or health of a child less than seventeen years old.” Section 568.045.1. A person acts knowingly when the person is aware that his or her conduct is “practically certain to cause that result.” Section 562.016.3. In a prosecution for first-degree child endangerment, it is not required that the defendant be aware that the resulting harm was practically certain; rather, the state must prove the practical certainty of the risk of harm. State v. Davis,
In this case, there is sufficient evidence from which a reasonable juror could find that Ms. Jones knew that her conduct created a substantial risk to D.W. D.W. was admitted to the hospital on January 20, 2009, for malnutrition, lethargy, and marginal dehydration. Ms. Jones told hospital staff that she was having a hard time feeding D.W. at home and that she was feeding him only 80 calories a day, which is much less than the 250-275 calories a day that he needed. She later admitted that she had missed six feedings on January 19 and 20 before taking D.W. to the hospital. On January 23, Ms. Jones took D.W. home against medical advice because she believed the hospital was force-feeding him after being warned by medical staff that taking D.W. home put him at a risk for dehydration, starvation, neurological disorders, or death.
While D.W. was in the hospital, medical staff educated Ms. Jones about proper feeding and how much formula D.W. needed. Nonetheless, Ms. Jones continued to miss D.W.’s feedings at home; she missed five feedings on January 25 and 26. While she took D.W. back to the hospital on January 30 for an unrelated reason, hospital staff were concerned that Ms. Jones was still under-feeding him, and D.W. was placed in protective custody.
When Ms. Jones took D.W. out of the hospital against medical advice, she was aware that her conduct was putting D.W.’s health and life at serious risk because the medical staff informed her about the serious health risks. Furthermore, she continued to miss his feedings at home, despite knowing D.W. was malnourished and being informed about how to feed him properly. Ms. Jones argues that she took D.W. out of the hospital because she believed the hospital was force-feeding D.W. with the nasogastric tube, which she believed to be wrong.
Sufficient Evidence of Second-Degree Assault
Finally, Ms. Jones asserts there was insufficient evidence to support her conviction of second-degree assault. A person commits second degree assault if that person “[r]ecklessly causes serious physical injury to another person.” Section 565.060. “A person ‘acts recklessly’ ... when he consciously disregards a substantial and unjustifiable risk that circumstances exist or that a result will follow, and such disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation.” Section 562.016.4. Ms. Jones contests whether the state sufficiently proved she acted recklessly.
The state presented Ms. Jones’ statement that she was burping D.W. on her lap with his face to the side and a burp rag in her hand. She diverted her attention to the television, and when she looked back at D.W., his face was in the burp rag and he was not breathing. She also stated that his face had turned blue. Additionally, the' evidence demonstrated that Ms. Jones was aware of the dangers of leaving an infant face down on a soft object, such as a pillow or a blanket, because she already had lost a child to suffocation due to being placed face down in a pillow.
Ms. Jones claims that, at best, the evidence shows negligence or carelessness, rather than a conscious disregard of a substantial and unjustifiable risk. Her argument suggests that she was distracted inadvertently by the television. Such a finding, however, requires an inference that is contrary to the jury’s verdict, which this Court must disregard under its standard of review. Rather, a reasonable inference from Ms. Jones’s statement that supports the verdict is that Ms. Jones consciously stopped paying attention to her newborn infant lying on her lap to watch television. By her own admission, the burp rag was in her hand; yet she claimed not to notice that D.W. was pressing his face into the rag with sufficient pressure to cut off his breathing. Moreover, Ms. Jones stated that D.W.’s face was blue by the time she noticed he was not breathing, and the state produced expert testimony that a child who is suffocating would not change colors until the child’s breathing is restricted for at least a minute or longer. A reasonable juror could find from the evidence that Ms. Jones consciously disregarded the risk of suffocation when she placed D.W. on her lap with his face near a burp rag and ignored him for a period of time long enough for him to stop breathing and turn blue.
Conclusion
Because the state’s evidence corroborated that S.J. died as a result of criminal agency, Ms. Jones failed to establish facially substantial grounds for believing that it was evident, obvious, and clear error to admit her statements and that manifest
Notes
. Zantac is a medication prescribed in liquid form to infants who have acid reflux.
. Because D.W. was malnourished, he would tire easily from sucking and would not want to feed. The tube allowed him to receive the nutrition that he needed but was too weak to get on his own. By feeding more, D.W. would gain strength, which would allow him to feed eventually without the tube.
. Miranda v. Arizona,
. Ms. Jones filed a motion in limine to exclude her statements, but it was on the basis that they were not made voluntarily. The trial court overruled the motion.
. See, e.g., State v. Fassero,
. Ms. Jones contends the medical examiner’s conclusion that SJ.’s death was a homicide cannot be used to establish the corpus delicti because he changed the cause of death based on Ms. Jones’ out-of-court confession. She cites no law that a change in a death certificate based on a defendant's out-of-court confession cannot be used to corroborate the confession for purposes of proving the corpus delicti. On the contrary, an out-of-court confession may enable the discovery of corroborating evidence. State v. McQuinn,
. All statutory references are to RSMo Supp. 2012, unless otherwise indicated.
. The record is clear that the feeding program was the reason why Ms. Jones checked D.W. out of the hospital, but it also shows that she was not always so against the nasogastric tube feeding program. Hospital records indicate that when staff tried to wake up Ms. Jones so that she could feed D.W., she wanted him to be fed with the nasogastric tube or she
