According to reports, a New Jersey woman convicted of the murder of her 17-month-old son in 2019 has been sentenced to life without parole.
Almost three and a half months after a jury convicted Heather Reynolds, 45, of murder, Camden County Judge Gwendolyn Blue sentenced her to life in prison on Nov. 15.
On July 28, Reynolds was also found guilty of possession of methamphetamine and endangering the welfare of a child, in addition to the murder charge.
“The jury deserves a great deal of credit for the time and attention they gave to this case,” said Peter Gallagher, Chief of the Homicide Section, Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.
As stated in a press release from Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay’s office, in addition to life without parole on the murder charge, Blue sentenced Reynolds to eight years for endangering a child’s welfare and four years for possessing methamphetamine as a controlled dangerous substance.
Prosecutors in Camden County said Reynolds suffocated her 17-month-old son, Axel, by covering his nose and mouth with a cleansing wipe.
In May of 2018, Reynolds ran from her Gloucester Township home with an unresponsive child in her arms screaming for help. When emergency crews arrived at the home in Sicklerville, New Jersey, they found Axel unresponsive and on the lawn.
Reynolds told EMTs that her son may have ingested something poisonous. However, when EMTs informed her her son had been dead for much longer, Reynolds allegedly changed her story.
Reynolds was also suspected of taking methamphetamine the night before, something police confirmed with the discovery of drug residue in her purse.
Asphyxia was determined to be the cause of death for the child, and homicide was determined to be the manner of death.