Valley mother sentenced to 37 years in prison for neglected daughter’s 2013 death

PHOENIX — A Valley mother was sentenced last week to 37 years in prison for the 2013 death of her neglected 16-month-old daughter, authorities said.

Denise Janelle Snow-Ingram was convicted by a Maricopa County jury in November of second-degree murder and child abuse.

Snow-Ingram was sentenced Friday to 20 years for the murder charge and 17 years for the abuse count. The sentences are to be served consecutively, according to the order of confinement filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.

She’s been in custody for 10 years, which will be applied to her murder sentence, leaving her with 27 years left to serve.

How did 16-month-old Miriam Ingram die in 2013?

Miriam Ingram weighed less than 9 pounds and was suffering from Rickets, a disease caused by a lack of Vitamin D, at the time of her death, 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.

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

The girl’s father, Ernest Ingram, was sentenced to prison in 2022 for manslaughter and child abuse.

What was the case against Denise Snow-Ingram?

Prosecutors in the mother’s case argued that Snow-Ingram 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.

“The defendant allowed her daughter to physically waste away because of her neglect and mistreatment. No child should be treated this way,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a press release Tuesday. “While this little girl is no longer with us, I hope she knows, and her siblings know, that there were people committed to fighting for justice for her.”

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