Man sentenced to probation in 2020 death of infant daughter
A 24-year-old man was sentenced to probation Wednesday in connection with the 2020 death of his 2-month-old daughter.
Luther Childers, who initially faced a murder charge, pleaded guilty in October to a felony count of child abuse, neglect or endangerment in the death of his baby daughter, Emiliana. He entered what is known as an Alford plea, which means he admitted only that prosecutors had enough evidence to prove his guilt.
District Judge Tierra Jones sentenced Childers to up to two years of probation and ordered him to continue counseling ordered by the Department of Family Services.
The coroner’s office ruled Emiliana’s death “undetermined,” meaning investigators could not say whether it was an accident, homicide or natural death. She died Sept. 1, 2020, at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center from a subdural hemorrhage and a hypoxic ischemic brain injury, according to the coroner’s office.
According to a Metropolitan Police Department arrest report, Emiliana had suffered from traumatic shaking that led to several brain bleeds.
“Due to the nature of the facts in this case and my conversations with a couple of experts, the state has concerns that some of the injuries to the child were non-accidental in nature,” prosecutor Michelle Jobe told the judge on Wednesday.
Following the hearing, defense attorney Scott Coffee said Emiliana had no outward signs of abuse, and it was unclear if she had been shaken.
“The state had some significant proof problems,” the lawyer said.
Childers also faces a child abuse, neglect or endangerment charge in a separate case, stemming from injuries his then 9-month-old son suffered in July 2020. Childers told investigators he had the boy at his sister’s house and was changing the baby on the couch when a dog jumped onto the furniture, causing the baby to fall, according to court transcripts.
He was not charged in the case until November 2020, after he had been arrested in connection with Emiliana’s death, court records show.
Childers pleaded guilty in October to the child abuse, neglect or endangerment charge in the second case, again entering an Alford plea, court records show.
He is set to be sentenced in the second case on Tuesday.
Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.