Florida woman who killed baby in 1986 sentenced to probation in cold case DNA probe
A woman who killed her infant son in in Connecticut and went on to live a seemingly quiet normal life with her family in Florida for three decades was sentenced Tuesday to five years of probation Janita Phillips of Lake Mary Florida was charged with murder in after police declared new DNA testing linked her to the crime She pleaded guilty to a lesser manslaughter charge in April The probation sentence was uncommon in a child homicide scenario but warranted because a peer-reviewed psychological assessment concluded Phillips experienced extreme emotional distress at the time of the killing both the prosecutor and defense lawyer explained Judge Gary White in Stamford Connecticut called it a matter deserving mercy When Phillips killed the infant she and her husband had just moved into an apartment in Greenwich Connecticut with their eldest child after being homeless and her husband had advised her he didn t want another baby her lawyer Stephen DeLeo declared The couple who remain together and have been married for years were stressed about money and their ability to feed their family DeLeo commented Phillips described police she hid the pregnancy from her husband and other relatives an arrest warrant stated Police reported her husband did not know about the baby s death and had no involvement Phillips and her husband have three children who are now adults One of their sons is disabled and resides at an assistant living facility while her husband has therapeutic problems and she takes care of him DeLeo stated in an interview Incarcerating her would serve no purpose at this time DeLeo mentioned adding that this situation was Phillips only brush with the law in her life He also declared she lost her insurance industry job because of the situation Phillips cried during the sentencing hearing and declared she had a deep sense of regret She also announced she took full responsibility DeLeo commented Under her sentence if she violates probation she could face up to years in prison The newborn child named Baby John by police was discovered dead in a garbage truck on May after workers had emptied a dumpster at the apartment building in Greenwich where Phillips lived government explained The chief healthcare examiner s office determined the baby was strangled shortly after being born and ruled his death a homicide Phillips and her family moved to Florida shortly after the baby s death police revealed Greenwich police announced they used newly available DNA testing in that linked evidence located at the crime scene to the boy s mother Police took items out of the trash and recycling at Phillips Florida home in DNA testing presented Phillips and her husband were the parents of the infant officers mentioned
