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<H1>Plea bargain: Probation in baby's killing</H1>
<H3>Parents charged with murdering 4-month-old daughter are freed</H3>
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<FONT size=1>Saturday, January 15, 2005 Posted: 10:46 AM EST (1546
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<P><B style="FONT-SIZE: 14px">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.</B></P>
<P>Prosecutor Mary Sullivan Moore said Friday she reduced murder and child abuse
charges because she couldn't determine who caused the baby's injuries.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>"You rest assured I have had many sleepless nights," Moore said.</P>
<P>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.</P>
<P>McClinithan pleaded guilty to child abuse and neglect and received a two-year
suspended sentence.</P>
<P>Baggett's attorney, Mike Little, described the agreement as a "best interest
plea."</P>
<P>"There is just no telling if there was a homicide and if there was, who did
it," he said.</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>