Woman Charged With Death Of Child; Two Others Arrested

October 16, 2017

Three Escambia County residents were arrested in connection with the death of a child.

Deputies responded to the 300 block of Bryant Road Saturday afternoon. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said a child was transported to a local hospital and later died there. Deputies arrested Veronica Posey, 64, Grace Smith, 69, and James Smith, 62, all of Pensacola in connection to the child’s death.

According to an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office report, a nine year old girl’s relative, Grace Smith, called upon family members to help discipline her child. Grace’s niece, Veronica Posey, sat on the child while disciplining her, according to the report. Smith reportedly weighs in excess of 300 pounds.

The child told Posey that she could not breathe. The responding deputy found the child unresponsive upon arrival. The girl was taken to Baptist Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Posey has been charged with homicide and cruelty towards a child. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Grace Smith was charged with child neglect for failing to report the incident and also cruelty towards a child. And James Smith charged with child neglect for failing to report the incident.

Posey is being held on a $125,000. James Smith is being held on a $50,000 bond. Grace Smith is being held without bond.

The Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation. Further details have not been released.

Comments

11 Responses to “Woman Charged With Death Of Child; Two Others Arrested”

  1. terri on October 18th, 2017 8:15 am

    Oh Yeah. They Are NIce People….Duh I dont think nice people sit on a children and squash them to DEATH.

  2. anne 1of2 on October 17th, 2017 7:56 pm

    Fifty gallon filled aquarium sitting on a goldfish! Calling in a relative to discipline my child? Are you kidding me?

  3. billy on October 17th, 2017 2:50 pm

    evil

  4. Resident on October 17th, 2017 2:20 pm

    @sunny…125,000+50,000=175,000$…10% is 17,500 for the 2 with bail. Where did 25,000$ come from?The 3rd individual has no Bond. Read the article and do the right math. No comprehensive reading skills and no math..hmmmm go figure..but, let’s put our 2 cents worth or 3 cents worth or 4 cents worth. On an article

  5. Sunny on October 17th, 2017 9:32 am

    I don’t care if you know them or not. There are no excuses for stupidity. 300+ pounds on top of an average 9 year old 70 pounds and if overweight like the hippo sitting on her – 90-100 pounds. Sounds like the girl’s ribs possibly punctured her lungs. God needed this child in his arms. He knew issues with the three arrested, would get worse. $25000 is the bond amount that released all three from jail. WOW, rich people at that.

  6. chris on October 17th, 2017 9:29 am

    @ John: for real? A 325 lb woman sat on a little child for punishment, but she is a “nice woman” who “did not intend this outcome?” Open your eyes and see the truth! It’s called homicide.

  7. John Reading on October 17th, 2017 8:13 am

    I know these ladies and I am sure they did not intend this outcome. Not making excuses, just commenting. They are nice people, who have put themselves in a sad situation.

  8. EMD on October 16th, 2017 11:40 pm

    Surely, these people are mentally challenged.

  9. David on October 16th, 2017 5:01 pm

    DCF had been involved in this for a while…God loved and loves all children, he needed her back at his side

    AS for the killers and hiders of this crime…

  10. vapor on October 16th, 2017 12:58 pm

    She sat on her for punishment. The others just watched.Think about that.

  11. Mick on October 16th, 2017 7:18 am

    Lord, bless the child’s soul and deal with these three in your own time…