LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida mom was found guilty of first-degree murder after her 18-month-old died from starvation in September 2019.
CBS Miami reports that 38-year-old Sheila O'Leary and her husband, Ryan O'Leary, 33, told police they were vegans and only ate raw fruits and vegetables.
Their son, Ezra, died of severe malnutrition and dehydration, according to WPLG-TV. The child reportedly weighed 17 pounds at the time of his death in 2019.
WPLG reported that Sheila O’Leary told them her son hadn’t eaten for a week before he died.
Sheila O’Leary’s other three children, two boys aged 3 and 5, plus an 11-year-old girl, were also malnourished and underweight, WBBH-TV reports.
Currently, the mother is awaiting her sentencing, which is scheduled for July 25. She facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The father is expected to go on trial later this year.