PAINESVILLE, Ohio, March 16 (UPI) -- An Ohio woman was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday for trying to poison her infant daughter, who suffers from a rare genetic disease.
Erin Hendrix, 29, must serve at least 15 years before she can apply for parole, The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer reported. Prosecutors said Hendrix gave her daughter, now 3, doses of lead nitrate in 2008 and 2009 because she blamed the girl's medical condition for her own bad economic circumstances.
Lake County Common Pleas Judge Eugene Lucci described the seriousness of the crime.
"No one has ever seen a person being given lead poisoning while at the same time undergoing treatment for lead poisoning," Lucci said. "The doctors said she was poisoned nine or 10 times."
Hannah's foster parents wrote the court a letter saying the long-term impact of the poisoning is still unclear. They said they are worried about how she will deal with learning the person who should have been caring for her was trying to kill her.
