A Clearwater jury tonight acquitted foster mom Tenesia Brown of killing 3-year-old Lazon Gully, who died in 2008 after being in a vegetative state for more than two years.
Prosecutors said the toddler died of shaken-baby syndrome. Brown faced life in prison if she had been convicted.
The defense contended Lazon already was sick, testing positive for cocaine intoxication at birth.
After the verdict, Brown's husband, Marcus, said he and his wife still think about Lazon.
"We don't want to forget about Lazon. We loved him. And we took care of him. And we just want to continue to pray for him," said Marcus Brown.
Tenesia Brown's defense attorney, Ron Kurpiers, said he always believed that if a jury would just listen to all the evidence, it would realize Brown was not capable of committing the crime.
"We knew that if we just had a chance to defend the case and put on our story, that we'd have a chance," he said.
Brown and her husband had custody of Lazon and his brother for nearly four months while his mother completed a drug treatment program. Brown picked up Lazon from the Circle of Children Day Care about 2:30 p.m. on March 3, 2006, after workers called to say the child was vomiting and had diarrhea. He later stopped breathing when Brown got him home.
Marcus Brown said he and his wife will try to resume a normal life. When asked whether they would consider being foster parents again, he said it was too soon for such a discussion.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement
Advertisement