Florida woman who weighs 320lbs is sentenced to life in prison after she killed her nine-year-old cousin by SITTING on her as punishment
- Veronica Green Posey, 66, was convicted of first-degree felony murder on Friday
- The 320lbs woman, of Florida, sat on her cousin, 9, who had been misbehaving
- A jury heard the schoolgirl died of suffocation following the awful 2017 incident
- Dericka Lindsay’s adoptive parents were both also implicated in the child abuse
- James Smith was previously sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in death
- Grace Smith still faces charges but is mentally and physically unfit to stand trial
A Florida woman who killed her nine-year-old cousin by sitting on her as punishment has been sentenced to life in prison.
Veronica Green Posey, 66, was convicted of first-degree felony murder Friday after a jury heard she sat on Dericka Lindsay for more than five minutes.
A jury heard the schoolgirl died of suffocation after she was starved of oxygen when 320lbs Posey crushed her in an effort to get her under control in October 2017.
Veronica Green Posey, 66, was convicted of first-degree felony murder Friday after a jury heard she sat on Dericka Lindsay for more than five minutes. A jury heard the school girl died of suffocation when 320lbs Posey crushed her in an effort to get her under control in 2017
Prosecutors say little Lindsay had suffered horrific beatings from Posey, as well as from her adoptive parents, James and Grace Smith.
Posey’s attorney said the 320-pound woman was trying to help the Smiths and didn’t intend to hurt Dericka.
James Smith was previously sentenced to 10 years for his role in death, while Grace Smith still faces charges but is currently mentally and physically unfit to stand trial.
In an autopsy, the medical examiner found Dericka had severe bruising on her buttocks that she described as ‘injury, on top of injury, on top of injury.’
Assistant State Attorney Amy Shea said on the day of Dericka’s death, Posey was awoken by a phone call from Grace Smith saying that Dericka and her eight-year-old sister were misbehaving.
‘Once her feet hit the floor getting out of bed, she was determined to beat these children,’ Shea said.
She took a ruler and a thin pipe intended to give the ruler ‘weight,’ then went over to the Smiths’ home to aid Grace Smith with the beating of the young child.
James Smith (left) was previously sentenced to 10 years for his role in death, while Grace Smith (right) still faces charges but is currently mentally and physically unfit to stand trial
Posey forced the girl to bend over arm armchair and then sat on her back, crushing her chest.
Despite the girl’s screams that she couldn’t breathe, Posey continued to sit on her until she stopped moving.
It was only when she realised the girl had stopped breathing that she called 911.
At the time Posey told law enforcement that she sat on the small girl ‘for being out of control.’
The child was transported to Baptist Hospital but she was pronounced dead a short time later.