A Florida woman has been sentenced to life in prison Friday for killing her 9-year-old cousin by sitting on the child as a form of punishment.
After a two-day trial in Pensacola, Veronica Green Posey, 66, was found guilty of first-degree felony murder.
Jurors heard that the victim, 9-year-old Dericka Lindsay, suffered horrific beatings from her adoptive parents, James and Grace Smith, and her cousin, Posey, when she misbehaved.
The abuse reached a head on Oct. 14, 2017, when approximately 320-pound Posey sat on her for more than five minutes in an effort to get her under control.
The girl allegedly yelled that she could not breathe during the incident, the Pensacola News Journal reported.
Posey’s attorney said the woman, who weighs approximately 320 pounds, was trying to help the Smiths and did not mean to hurt the girl.
