On Thursday, a Marion County jury convicted 43-year-old Melissa Waiman Schroer of aggravated manslaughter in the 2019 death of her two-month-old son, Wailan Roy Schroer. The baby had been brought to medical personnel on Dec. 11, 2019, after being found unresponsive at a Belleview home and was later pronounced dead. Schroer, who was extradited from Kentucky in 2021, is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2026. Her husband, Jeffery Schroer, faces the same charges and remains awaiting prosecution.
Jury Weighs Drug Use, Neglect Claims
Jurors returned the guilty verdict after hearing evidence that prosecutors said linked the child’s death to parental drug use and neglect. The case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Marissa Meyer and Katrina Self. Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Bill Gladson called the case heartbreaking, saying the infant’s “short life was selfishly taken away,” according to the Tampa Free Press.
Autopsy Points To Meth Toxicity
An autopsy completed in February 2020 found that Wailan died from methamphetamine toxicity, with dehydration and inanition listed as complicating factors, according to earlier reporting. After the baby’s death, the parents left Florida and were later located in Florence, Kentucky. Boone County authorities arrested them in late 2021, and they were extradited to Marion County, as reported by WCJB.
What Happens Next In Court
Schroer is set to appear before Judge Barbara Kissner on June 29 for sentencing, when the court will determine her punishment under Florida’s felony sentencing rules. Her husband, Jeffery Schroer, remains charged in the case, and his prosecution is still pending, per the Tampa Free Press.
How Florida Treats Aggravated Manslaughter Of A Child
Under Florida law, aggravated manslaughter of a child is a first-degree felony for causing the death of a person under 18 by culpable negligence. The offense is defined in section 782.07, and sentencing ranges are governed by section 775.082. First-degree felonies in Florida are generally punishable by up to 30 years in prison and, in some circumstances, by life, depending on statutory factors and judicial findings, according to the Florida Statutes.
