OH - Annabelle Richardson, newborn, found in shallow grave, Carlisle, 7 May 2017 #2

[gitana1]

Witness White: Kraft: Asks after everything discussed "we now no fundal height, we have a new conception date, don't have really white baby... you're still standing by your diagnosis that this baby had IUGR and was still born?" White: "Yes." #SkylarRichardson @dayton247now

Molly Reed on Twitter

That was a bad question to ask the witness. The last part. Lol. Just confirm the first stuff and leave it be. IMO.

 

[gitana1]

I’m honestly surprised more people don’t see it this way. The post-childbirth text messages are part of her attempt to hide what has happened. If she’s scared enough of her mom to labour alone in silence and bury her baby by herself in the back yard, she’s hardly going to send open and honest messages about how she feels about it all to her the next day.

Saying “my tummy is smaller and I’m feeling happy” feels like her trying to throw her mom of the scent of anything. “Everything is fine! Nothing to see here!”

Yes but that doesn't explain her texts to her boyfriend.

 

[OldLadyBlues]

I just think Skylar lucked out because the body was found too late to determine COD.

It is my humble opinion, Miss Skylar is lucking out on many fronts beginning with the lack of COD of her baby. Sad to say but if I were on the jury she would walk on reasonable doubt....and that's just sad for the baby.

MOO,MOO

 

[gitana1]

@gitana1 , it was referenced in the "Prom Moms" article as a footnote, and might be found here:

Michelle Oberman, Mother's (sic) Who Kill: Coming To Terms With Modern American Infanticide, 34 AM. CRIM. L. REV. 1, 89 (1996).

Thank you!

 

[lonetraveler]

I sure don't see the logic of that argument. Caylee was literally thrown away like trash, and the fact she had a blanket wrapped around her inside the trashbag she was thrown away in means CA had some kind of bond with her?

But the fact Skylar dug a grave and put flowers on it, but didn't wrap up her baby in a towel or sheet first, indicates she felt nothing at all about her dead baby?

Or, she could have lugged that extra heavy flower pot and positioned it over the burial site so that someone would not notice the freshly disturbed dirt. She used the flower pot to hide the area, IMO.

 

[lonetraveler]

No matter how many other witnesses the state did and can bring on to counter this, it clearly enables reasonable doubt. And if there is doubt the baby was born alive, murder is gone, manslaughter is gone, child endangerment is gone. And tampering is already gone.

This girl is going to walk.

I have to agree. I do believe that she caused the death of the baby but at this time if I was a juror I would have to go with not guilty on the murder charges.

 

[MyBelle]

OB-Gyn is it’s own specialty not a surgical subspecialty (like vascular, colorectal, pediatrics, etc). Having said that there are surgical aspects of obstetrics ( like cesarean sections, surgical control of hemorrhage, etc) and many surgical aspects of gynecology. Gyn-Onc and Urogyn are OB-Gyn subspecialties with a significant surgical component.

OB-GYN was a sub-specialty of the Dept. of Surgery at the university teaching hospital where I worked years ago. When I was entering my ninth month of pregnancy, I needed an emergency appendectomy. My OB-GYN was present but a general surgeon did the actual surgery.

JMO

 

[155etta]

Kraft now asking about SR statement to dad saying cord was not attached or wrapped around baby's neck. In her second interview with police, she said it was wrapped around baby's neck "a little bit" @Local12 #SkylarRichardson

Angenette Levy on Twitter

She says "a little bit" a lot.

 

[AllyBeeUK]

In every message to her mom during the pregnancy, she lied and tried to pretend everything was fine when we *know* it wasn’t.
Isn’t it logical to assume she continued this after giving birth, when she had the most to hide? Why would she suddenly do a 180 and decide to trust her mother with her innermost true feelings?

She’s left the house, still bleeding, in pain, the baby freshly buried in the yard, probably worrying about potential blood stains somewhere in the bathroom if she missed anything cleaning up. She’s not out of it yet. Even if you believe it was a preplanned murder, it’s hard to believe she left the house that day and felt as blissful and care free as she pretends in the messages.

I don't believe she felt blissful and care free at all. Even if she was guilty I think she would be traumatised by the birth, what she had seen coming out of her body. Childbirth is pretty traumatising, even when you are fully prepared for it, at least mine were. She would be fearful of being caught out. I would be terrified that my mum would suddenly decide to do some gardening, or that my dog would smell something and go digging. She would probably be scared about what was still happening to her body. After my first son I was not at all prepared for how much I would bleed and I couldn't even have imagined the afterpain, it was scary. Even if she planned all this I still don't think she would suddenly feel light as a feather the very next day.

I really don't see how anyone could possibly think they would get away with this. She knew that her doctor at the very least knew she was pregnant, would want to know what had happened to the baby and would ask questions the next time she was there. I just can't see this being a plan carried out with stone cold logic. I've tried to see it from all angles but I just can't get there.

Do you really think that is likely? Not even something for the tampering or child endangerment? Smh

If they can't prove baby was born alive, I don't see how she could be convicted of endangerment. A woman has bodily autonomy whilst pregnant, not seeking care, taking vitamins etc is not a crime. If they can't prove baby was born alive then they would potentially be holding a woman criminally responsible for a still birth and that is a dangerous precedent IMO.

 

[gitana1]

Someone said from context that it sounded like a fitness/boot camp class. I think it’s plausible in that context (though I agree, not in school)

Ah. If true that would make more sense.

 

[gitana1]

Some people don't bond with their born children, let alone the fetus from a pregnancy they have been denying and hiding for months. If maternal (or paternal) instinct was such a reliable force a lot of the child abuse, neglect, endangerment in the world would not exist.

I agree. That's my point. I think it's evident she didn't bond with her fetus. And that nonsense about her naming the child and putting flowers on her grave was just that. Nonsense. She was happy the thing inside her was gone.

 

[Seattle1]

I wondered the same thing. And thought it was interesting the defense had given him psych reports on Skylar, including one stating that Skylar was (atypically) susceptible to suggestion. Not sure why all that info was ruled inadmissible, but maybe I missed the judge explaining his reasoning.

I think the judge limited expert's testimony because the detectives were not on trial here.

While defense may not have liked their interview tactics, I don't believe they could accuse them of wrong doing or coercion pursuant to an experts report, but only present general statistics and/or case study info Reid method.

Investigator had previously confirmed Reid method used during interrogation by one or the other detectives.

MOO

 

[Spellbound]

I don't believe she felt blissful and care free at all. Even if she was guilty I think she would be traumatised by the birth, what she had seen coming out of her body. Childbirth is pretty traumatising, even when you are fully prepared for it, at least mine were. She would be fearful of being caught out. I would be terrified that my mum would suddenly decide to do some gardening, or that my dog would smell something and go digging. She would probably be scared about what was still happening to her body. After my first son I was not at all prepared for how much I would bleed and I couldn't even have imagined the afterpain, it was scary. Even if she planned all this I still don't think she would suddenly feel light as a feather the very next day.

I really don't see how anyone could possibly think they would get away with this. She knew that her doctor at the very least knew she was pregnant, would want to know what had happened to the baby and would ask questions the next time she was there. I just can't see this being a plan carried out with stone cold logic. I've tried to see it from all angles but I just can't get there.



If they can't prove baby was born alive, I don't see how she could be convicted of endangerment. A woman has bodily autonomy whilst pregnant, not seeking care, taking vitamins etc is not a crime. If they can't prove baby was born alive then they would potentially be holding a woman criminally responsible for a still birth and that is a dangerous precedent IMO.

Thanks .... you answered some questions and doubts I had of myself.

 

[Seattle1]

She says "a little bit" a lot.

Yup -- little bit and maybe....

 

[gitana1]

Do you really think that is likely? Not even something for the tampering or child endangerment? Smh

Yes. She's manipulative. Knows how to play the scared little confused girl. Something she likely had to develop to cope with her horror of a mother. And she has a horrible mother. Jury is going to feel that.

She's a cute little blonde with money. Not an urban kid no one cares about. Jury will relate to her. Give her every benefit of the doubt.

Culturally society views neonaticidal mothers with sympathy and generally can't accept they could kill their kids or will excuse the behavior and find mitigators.

So if there's room for reasonable doubt I believe jurors will dive to embrace it.

Maybe it will be hung on some counts. But I would take the odds of a full acquittal if I was a betting person.

 

[Tillicum]

I'm surprised the second doctor prescribed more pills after being told Skylar had the baby alone at home and was stillborn, without doing a thorough examination. It seems rather risky to the patient's health IMO. Also surprised she waited 2 days to talk to the other doctor about their patient giving birth to a stillborn alone and burying it in the yard.

 

[Popcorn80]

Would the jurors need to all agree on a verdict or would they take a majority?
(Sorry if silly question from UK)

 

[Spellbound]

I don't believe she felt blissful and care free at all. Even if she was guilty I think she would be traumatised by the birth, what she had seen coming out of her body. Childbirth is pretty traumatising, even when you are fully prepared for it, at least mine were. She would be fearful of being caught out. I would be terrified that my mum would suddenly decide to do some gardening, or that my dog would smell something and go digging. She would probably be scared about what was still happening to her body. After my first son I was not at all prepared for how much I would bleed and I couldn't even have imagined the afterpain, it was scary. Even if she planned all this I still don't think she would suddenly feel light as a feather the very next day.

I really don't see how anyone could possibly think they would get away with this. She knew that her doctor at the very least knew she was pregnant, would want to know what had happened to the baby and would ask questions the next time she was there. I just can't see this being a plan carried out with stone cold logic. I've tried to see it from all angles but I just can't get there.



If they can't prove baby was born alive, I don't see how she could be convicted of endangerment. A woman has bodily autonomy whilst pregnant, not seeking care, taking vitamins etc is not a crime. If they can't prove baby was born alive then they would potentially be holding a woman criminally responsible for a still birth and that is a dangerous precedent IMO.

Very true. I was not thinking it through very well. Thanks again!

 

[AllyBeeUK]

Would the jurors need to all agree on a verdict or would they take a majority?
(Sorry if silly question from UK)

Not a silly question, I've asked this previously. I have been informed a majority verdict is required.

ETA: Oops, I mean unanimous. Sorry, it's late!

 

[Spellbound]

Yes. She's manipulative. Knows how to play the scared little confused girl. Something she likely had to develop to cope with her horror of a mother. And she has a horrible mother. Jury is going to feel that.

She's a cute little blonde with money. Not an urban kid no one cares about. Jury will relate to her. Give her every benefit of the doubt.

Culturally society views neonaticidal mothers with sympathy and generally can't accept they could kill their kids or will excuse the behavior and find mitigators.

So if there's room for reasonable doubt I believe jurors will dive to embrace it.

Maybe it will be hung on some counts. But I would take the odds of a full acquittal if I was a betting person.

Your thinking all through the trial has been interesting to follow. Thanks, Gitana, for sharing. Very helpful insights