A 23-year-old woman has been handed a 30-year prison sentence for inflicting fatal injuries on her one-month-old baby in 2023. Samantha Elizabeth Baker, identified as the mother of the child, initially claimed to have found her baby unresponsive, but later made an admission to authorities about hitting the infant out of frustration, as reported by KSAT.
The conviction came after evidence presented, confirmed by the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office, that the child suffered from a fractured skull due to blunt-force trauma. Baker recounted to investigators that she hit the baby "hard" around three times on the head with an open palm. After EMS responded, the child was transported to the hospital and was pronounced dead. "Today's sentencing is a testament to the strength of our community’s commitment to protecting children and ensuring that those who harm them are held accountable," Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales stated, as noted by FOX San Antonio's website.
Before recanting her initial version of events, Baker described how she swaddled her baby and placed him face-up in the bassinet, only to wake up hours later to discover the child face down and unresponsive. Baker then contacted the child's father who was at work, and he immediately called emergency services.
