Woman accused of burning baby is not eligible for death penalty
Posted: 01.03.2012 at 5:49 PM
Christina White, accused of first degree murder in the burning death of her infant, is not eligible to receive the death penalty according to a ruling released Tuesday.
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A Mid-Missouri woman accused of burning her baby while he was in his crib is not eligible to receive the death penalty.

The ruling came from a judge assigned by the Supreme Court of Missouri to determine whether Christina White was eligible for the death penalty after the 2007 incident where her baby died after being burned in his crib.

The original probable cause statement showed that White told authorities that she was stressed out and wanted her baby to die.

In Tuesday's ruling, Senior Judge J. Miles Sweeney said early educational records declared White mentally handicapped and she did not progress past an 8th grade education. She was tested while in custody in Jan. 2011. The doctor doing the testing said White's intelligence presented mild to severely low for her age and her IQ was low for her age.

Sweeney ruled White met the definition of mentally retarded and is only punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted on first degree murder charges.

White received a change of venue in the case, which will be heard in Laclede County. Prosecutor Matt Howard said he believes Sweeney's ruling is appropriate under the existing laws in Missouri for the death penalty.

White has remained in custody since she was arrested.

To read the complete ruling, click here.