Judge sentences two Summerville women to life in 3
Erica Mae Butts and Shanita Latrice Cunningham both collapsed in the courtroom today upon learning that they would spend the rest of their lives in ppatagonia better sweater ziprison for beating to death 3 year old Serenity Richardson in 2009.
After the verdict, court officials had to carry out both women as they collapsed and family members from bothpatagonia better sweater men's 1 4 zip3 sides sobbed. Circuit Court Judge Deadra Richardson said nothing had ever affected her as strongly as the photos of the little girl s batterpatagonia better sweater men's 1 4 ziped body.
Serenity s mother, Ieshia Richardson, had been childhood best friends with Butts and had brought her daughter to spatagonia better sweater men's 1 4 zip1tay at her godmother s home on Congaree River Drive in Spatagonia store pasadenaummerville for about two weeks, begipatagonia capilene washing instructionsnning in late October 2009. Butts admitted to Summerville police on Nov. 3 that she whipped the girl with a belt for urinating on the floor, and that Serenity had fallen several times in the bathroom.
When the child s breathing became shallow that day, Butts called her own mother in Goose Creek but didn t tell her what happened. Butts mother called 911.
By the time paramedics reached Serenity, she was already dead and had been placed on ice and exposed to bleach in desperate attempts to revive her. Assistant Solicitor Elizabeth Gordon said the girl s injuries reflected weeks of torture a duration that matchedpatagonia backpacks review the amount of time she had spent with Butts and Cunningham.
There was not a plane of her body that was spared, save the soles of her feet, Gordon said.
During the hearing, Cunnbuy patagonia in women's jackets & coatsingham s attorney said her client is less culpable than Butts in little girl s death. Butts attorney instead portrayed Cunninghpatagonia better sweater men's 1 4 zip0am as the controlling and aggressive partner in an abusive relationship, while describing Butts as a meek woman.
Butts said in court that she didn t know that Serenity was dying. She described her close relationship with Serenity s mother.
Ieshia Richardson had been the only person Butts confided in after patagonia better sweater men's 1 4 zip2she was raped at age 15, and Butts had been in the hospital with Richardson when Richardson gave birth to Serenity, her only child.
I was responsible for some things, but I would never kill her, Butts said. Then, practically screaming through her sobs, turned to Ieshia Richardson and said, I will always love you no matter what . . . I just want to tell you I m so, so sorry.
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