Sarasota, FL – Lily Scheip, a 35-year-old woman, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the manslaughter of her 14-week-old son, Dominic. The sentencing took place on Monday, December 29. Scheip was charged after an autopsy revealed that Dominic died from serious head trauma.
Scheip was found guilty of manslaughter in August. She was initially charged with second-degree murder when detectives determined the nature of Dominic’s injuries indicated foul play.
On the night of November 8, 2021, Scheip’s neighbor called 911 after seeing her run from her home with the unresponsive baby. Paramedics arrived and performed resuscitative measures before transporting Dominic to the hospital, where he was placed on life support.
Dominic was reported to have shown signs of head trauma and no brain activity. He passed away on November 11, 2021, and an autopsy later revealed multiple injuries including bruising on his head and a previous skull fracture.
On the day of the incident, Scheip’s husband was away while she was alone with Dominic and their older son. She reported that Dominic had appeared drowsy after refusing a bottle.
In a probable cause affidavit, Scheip admitted to having previously dropped Dominic from a recliner while burping him. Investigators noted that she was the only person who could have inflicted the injuries that led to his death.
Prior to trial, Scheip’s legal team successfully reduced the initial charge to manslaughter by demonstrating a lack of malicious intent. A judge sentenced her to 10 years in prison along with four years of probation.
At the sentencing, Scheip’s parents expressed their belief in her innocence. In contrast, her in-laws requested a harsher sentence, citing the lasting impact of Dominic’s death on the family.
The state’s attorney criticized the length of the sentence, expressing that it was insufficient for the crime committed.