Unshakable Science - P8

After losing her husband Mike, fifty-five-year-old Marsha Mills found purpose in caring for her two beloved granddaughters and occasionally watching Evan and Noah Shoup, toddlers from her daughter's best friend's family.

On May 10th, 2006, that love would destroy her life. After feeding lunch to the four children, Marsha took them outside to play. With her infant granddaughter in her arms, she turned to close the back door when two-year-old Noah fell from the porch to the concrete patio below.

The child was unconscious. Marsha moved him inside, called his father, and waited for emergency workers while caring for three other frightened children. When Noah died the next day, Marsha was charged with murder.

The case against her was built on medical opinion, not evidence.

Detective Larry Hootman, who first investigated the scene, testified it was a "freak accident." He was removed from the case. Detective Michael Goodwin used ultraviolet imaging throughout Marsha's house but found no substances or evidence of violence.

No physical evidence. No weapon. No motive.

But Dr. Daryl Steiner of Akron Children's Hospital had an opinion.

Based on Noah's injuries, Steiner testified the child had been abused. The prosecution's medical examiner agreed, using a doll to demonstrate how Marsha allegedly slammed the toddler repeatedly against surfaces.

The defense fought back with science.

Biomechanical engineer Dr. Chris VanEe built a replica of Marsha's back porch and used crash test dummies to prove a fall down the steps could cause fatal injuries. Forensic pathologist Dr. John Plunkett testified that Noah's death was "probably accidental" and consistent with Marsha's account.

Two experts saying accident. Two saying murder.

The jury chose to believe the prosecutors.

After five hours of deliberation, they found Marsha Mills guilty of murder. She was sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after fifteen years.

She remains behind bars today, a grandmother whose only crime was caring for children who weren't her own.

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