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Art Deco deco at moscow.com
Sat Jan 15 09:46:19 PST 2005


Plea bargain: Probation in baby's killing
Parents charged with murdering 4-month-old daughter are freed
Saturday, January 15, 2005 Posted: 10:46 AM EST (1546 GMT)


CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) -- A couple charged with murdering their 4-month-old daughter, who died with nine fractured ribs and a fractured clavicle, were sentenced to probation in a plea deal.

Prosecutor Mary Sullivan Moore said Friday she reduced murder and child abuse charges because she couldn't determine who caused the baby's injuries.

The plea agreement sentenced the child's parents, Houston Ray Baggett, 21, and Seanett McClinithan, 20, to probation. Both served 15 months in jail before the sentencing.

A medical examiner's report shows the infant, Leilani Katrina Baggett, died Aug. 17, 2003 from "failure to thrive due to multiple recent and old rib and clavicle fractures." The report also shows "inappropriate administration of sedating antihistamines" as a contributing factor.

Moore said the parents were not the only adults in the house when the child died, and she could not prove the couple were responsible.

"You rest assured I have had many sleepless nights," Moore said.

Baggett received 10 years of intensive supervised probation for attempted aggravated child abuse and remained in custody pending extradition to Florida on charges of beating a pizza delivery man.

McClinithan pleaded guilty to child abuse and neglect and received a two-year suspended sentence.

Baggett's attorney, Mike Little, described the agreement as a "best interest plea."

"There is just no telling if there was a homicide and if there was, who did it," he said.
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