Cardie Jackson and Shonwta Jackson were both charged with second-degree murder in Hennepin County. Their 6-week-old daughter suffocated in their laundry basket. Their daughter regularly slept in the basket which had blankets and pillows in it. One of the reasons for the second degree murder charge was that the parents were having a party and put the baby in the basket. Cardie Jackson admitted to drinking and smoking marijuana the night before her daughter suffocated. A nurse had told them not to put pillows or loose sheets near a sleeping baby. The Jacksons have 11 children together and lost custody of nine of them. Their two year old is currently in a foster home. Cardie Jackson put her daughter face down or on her side when she put her in the laundry basket.
Cardie Jackson called 911 herself to report that her daughter stopped breathing. She told the police that she went to see her daughter at 3 a.m. to feed her but that she didn’t seem hungry and that she put her back in the basket. Shonwta then woke up later in the night to use the restroom when he noticed that she was unresponsive. The instructions the nurse gave them regarding safe sleeping conditions were found on the coffee table. Their history with child protective services and their admission to drinking and smoking helped the county attorney when deciding to charge the couple with second degree murder. Second Degree murder carries a sentence of up to 40 years in Minnesota. The presumptive sentence under the Sentencing Guidelines is about 306 months in prison or 25 years.
If you have been charged with neglect of a child and have charges stemming from an incident of neglect, call for a free consultation. You will need an experienced Minnesota defense attorney to handle your case. Charges of neglect or unintentional acts can lead to murder charges in Minnesota. The charges are serious and can lead to serious consequences. Call (952) 913-1421 as soon as possible if you are facing murder charges.
- Apr: 27, 2023
