A Maryland mother who pushed her 2-year-old son on a swing for 2 days until he died is not “criminally responsible” for her son’s death.
Romechia Simms, 25, was indicted for manslaughter and child abuse in the May 22nd death of her 3-year-old son Ji’Aire.
Ji’Aire died after Simms pushed him in a swing for over 43 hours. The boy died of dehydration and exposure to the cold night air on May 22, 2015.
On Monday, Simms signed a plea deal admitting that prosecutors had enough evidence to find her guilty of manslaughter. The plea deal means Simms will avoid a trial and she will not face jail time or time in a mental institution.
A court-appointed psychologist diagnosed Simms with schizophrenia, but said she was not dangerous.
Simms told investigators she heard voices telling her not to stop pushing Ji’Aire or “somebody will come.”
She was hospitalized for 4 days after police found Ji’Aire dead on the swing set.
Simms’ conditional 5-year release calls for her to continue taking her medications, and keep her appointment with her psychiatrist.
