A 40-year-old Colorado mother will spend the rest of her life in prison for abusing her 3-year-old son for months until he died.
Samantha Kimberly was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday, a month after a jury convicted her of first-degree murder and two counts of child abuse, the Pueblo County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.
Multiple witnesses testified during the three-day trial that the boy and his 14-month-old brother “sustained months of child abuse.” The 3-year-old suffered a severe brain injury that led to his death.
On June 8, 2024, the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Pueblo West after a report of a toddler who was “unconscious and breathing abnormally,” deputies said. The boy, who had visible injuries, was flown by helicopter to a hospital, where he later died.
Kimberly’s younger son also had visible injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment. He was later placed in the custody of the Department of Human Services. Prosecutors first charged Kimberly with felony child abuse and added the murder charge after the boy, who has not been publicly identified, died.
A second woman, Brittany Farmer, was also convicted on child abuse charges. She was sentenced last year to 45 years in prison. Officials did not publicly detail the abuse, but its impact on those closest to the case was clear.
“I am deeply saddened and quite frankly, angry with the horrific details of this tragic situation,” Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero said at the time of the incident, per KKTV. “This is one of the worst abuse cases I have seen in my 24 years in law enforcement. No child should have to be subjected to this kind of torture and abuse.”
District Attorney Kala Beauvais released the following statement:
“Today’s sentencing brings this tragic case to a close and holds the defendant accountable for the murder of her son and the abuse she inflicted upon her children. We are grateful for the teamwork in ensuring these children had a voice in the courtroom. This case will leave a lasting impact on everyone involved and will be remembered as one of the worst cases they encountered.”