For Immediate Release

 

 

Contact: Matt Shirtcliff

District Attorney

541-523-8205

 

Meridian Woman Guilty in Death of Infant in her Care

A Meridian woman pled guilty to Criminally Negligent Homicide in relation to the death of an infant she was caring for in September 2014. Twenty-seven-year-old Kira Van Sickle was sentenced to 42 months in prison followed by three years court supervision by Baker County Circuit Court Judge Greg Baxter.

 

The plea agreement allowed the parties to argue for a prison sentence between the range of 16 to 55 months in prison. The standard sentencing guidelines for Criminally Negligent Homicide is 18 months in prison, or if the death involves driving under the influence of intoxicants, up to 36 months in prison.

 

The agreed upon higher range, was based on the Assault First Degree and Murder Charge being dismissed as part of the plea agreement. Although the injuries to the child occurred in September of 2014, the child later died due to complications with pneumonia in June of 2016. The child had been transferred from Idaho to a care facility in Utah where she had suffered significant health issues due to her head injury prior to her death.

 

Van Sickle was originally indicted in June of 2015 for Assault in the First Degree and Criminal Mistreatment. Following the victim’s death, a Grand Jury indicted Van Sickle for Murder and First Degree Manslaughter as well as Assault in the First Degree.

 

Baxter indicated in his decision that the 42-month sentence was warranted due to the plea being based on facts related to the death of a child and the brain injury that the victim suffered. “While the baby’s death is heartbreaking, we felt this was a fair result considering that the defendant’s actions in injuring the child were likely done under duress and in a spontaneous moment of frustration,” said Matt Shirtcliff, Baker County District Attorney. “This agreement allowed the court to consider all aspects of the case from the defendant’s lack of criminal history to the gravity of the loss of life of an infant. We also wanted to make sure that there was a homicide-related conviction in the case as opposed to just assault, so that there was recognition of the loss of life.”