A Florida woman was accused of suffocated and killing a 9-year old girl after sitting on top of her in October 2017. A court in Pensacola found the woman, 66-year old Veronica Green Posey guilty of first-degree felony murder over the weekend and sentenced her to life in prison.
Posey was charged with homicide and cruelty towards a child after paramedics responded to a cardiac arrest call for 9-year old Dericka Lindsay, who was pronounced dead upon arrival at a nearby hospital.
According to a police report, the 325 lb. Posey sat on Dericka as a form of discipline "for being out of control." Dericka apparently pleaded that she could not breathe during the ordeal.
Prosecutors say Posey, who was Lindsay's cousin, was called in by Lindsay's elderly adoptive parents to discipline her and her younger sister. An arrest report of one of Dericka's adoptive parents says that Posey struck Dericka with a ruler and a metal pipe as well.
James Smith, one of the adoptive parents, was sentenced to 10 years in state prison in connection with the murder. Grace Smith, the other parent, was seen unfit for trial due to mental and physical illnesses.
Photo Credit: Escambia County Jail