Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Emile Weaver, 21, of Clarington was found
guilty by a jury last month of aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse,
and tampering with evidence.
Prosecutors
said Weaver gave birth in a bathroom at the Delta Gamma Theta sorority
at Muskingum University on April 22, 2015, then purposefully caused the
death of her baby.
The baby girl died from asphyxiation after Weaver put her in a
plastic trash bag and left the bag outside the sorority house.
Weaver testified at trial that she had been in denial about the
pregnancy and thought the baby was already dead when she put the
newborn in the trash bag. She tearfully apologized in court and said she
will appeal the sentence.
Judge
Mark Fleegle could have sentenced Weaver to life with a chance for
parole in as little as 20 years, which was requested by her attorney,
but the judge said he wasn't convinced she was remorseful.
Fleegle
referred to text messages from Weaver sent afterward to the man she
thought was the baby's father that said, "No more baby," followed by
"taken care of."
Prosecutors
said at trial that Weaver knew she was pregnant all along and engaged
in risky behaviors like drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana, and playing
in a dodgeball tournament because she never intended to keep the baby.
Weaver
wrote in a letter to Fleegle before her sentencing that she didn't
fully comprehend her actions until she was staring at the body of the
baby, who was named Addison, in a tiny casket at her funeral.
"I ask God for forgiveness, and today, all I can do is ask for all of yours," she said in court.
At
the beginning of the trial, Weaver had pleaded not guilty by reason of
insanity, but the judge ruled that she was mentally competent.
Muskingum County Prosecutor D. Michael Haddox said he was satisfied with the sentence.
"We believe justice has been served as best as humanly possible," he said.
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