Phoenix mother guilty of 2nd-degree murder, child abuse 10 years after toddler’s death

PHOENIX — A Phoenix mother whose severely malnourished daughter died 10 years ago was found guilty of second-degree murder and child abuse on Thursday.

Denise Janelle Snow-Ingram, 48, faces a sentence of 23 years to life in prison after a jury convicted her, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said. Sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 19, 2024.

Miriam Ingram was 16 months old at the time of her death in 2013. She weighed less than 9 pounds and was suffering from Rickets, a disease caused by a lack of Vitamin D, according to prosecutors.

According to media reports, the girl’s parents told police they never took her to a doctor because of their religious beliefs.

Why was Snow-Ingram charged in daughter’s death?

Snow-Ingram called 911 on July 10, 2013, to report that her child was unresponsive. The girl died after being taken to a hospital.

Prosecutors argued in court that the mother prevented Miriam from receiving a proper diet or medical care, causing the toddler to suffer from malnutrition and Rickets.

Rickets usually results from lack of exposure to sunlight and an inadequate diet.

Was malnourished toddler’s father involved?

The girl’s father, Ernest Ingram, was sentenced to prison last year for manslaughter and child abuse.

“This was a child who stood no chance of surviving in the hands of her own parents. It is a point of pride that our prosecutors, and the victim advocate on the case, defended the memory of this innocent child when almost no one else would,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a press release.

Follow @kstonezone