Mississippi | Young couple charged with capital murder in death of 6-month-old; female could face death penalty

A young mother who got more than $10,000 from sympathetic social-media followers more than 2 years ago after the death of her baby is now being held in jail on $500,000 bond after she and her boyfriend were arrested for her child's death.

Brandon Gardner, 26, and Brooke Stringer, 22, were charged with capital murder and booked into the Jones County Adult Detention Center on Friday morning. They made their initial appearance in Jones County Justice Court that afternoon, where Judge David Lyons set their bonds at $500,000 each.

Rosalee Stringer died in late October 2019 — less than a month after her mother entered into a relationship with Gardner, according to her Facebook page — and the cause of death was suspicious to investigators at the time, but there was no proof that a crime had occurred.

Stringer was reportedly in the shower while the baby was on a pallet on the floor in Gardner’s care. He brought the baby to her, saying something was wrong. The baby was taken to University Medical Center in Jackson and died 2 days later.

Autopsy results that were received recently from the state crime lab showed the manner of death as “homicide,” Investigator J.D. Carter of the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and Assistant District Attorney Kristen Martin reported. They “worked closely” together on the case for months before the charges were filed.

“There were 2 people at the house where a baby died of blunt-force trauma, according to the autopsy,” Martin said. “Their version of what happened was not possible. That’s why they’re locked up now.”

The process was slow, they both acknowledged, but to not wait for all of the medical evidence “would have been irresponsible,” Carter said.

The investigators didn’t get into the specifics of the evidence, but Carter noted that babies “are designed to absorb falls,” and the medical examiner’s report “clearly states” that the baby’s injuries had to be caused by “blunt-force trauma.” Babies that young aren’t able to climb high enough to cause a fall that would cause the kind of injury the baby endured, he added.

That was the finding of renowned pediatric medical examiner Dr. Scott Benton at UMC.

“This is about justice for Rosalee,” Carter said.

Gardner and Stringer live together in a home in the Gitano Community and have their own baby now. Rosalee’s father was a foreign-exchange student who attended Northeast Jones High before going back to Germany. The baby Gardner and Stringer have together is reportedly with family members now.

Both suspects appeared before the judge wearing hot-pink coveralls that are labeled “High Risk Inmate” in bold letters on the back. That’s because they’re charged with capital murder, which carries a possible sentence of the death penalty or life in prison, if they’re convicted.

“JCSD Investigator J.D. Carter has worked diligently on this case and coordinated investigative efforts with the District Attorney’s Office and State Medical Examiner,” Sheriff Joe Berlin said. “The very detailed and thorough investigation involved an autopsy and many, many hours of interviews with witnesses and medical professionals. Unlike television crime shows, these cases aren’t solved in an hour.”

Lyons explained to the suspects that they are facing a “very serious charge” and took Martin’s recommendation for a $500,000 bond.

Both suspects choked back tears as they stood before the judge and listened to the charge and ways to make bond. Both said they would attempt to hire their own attorney.

Stringer made several Facebook posts while her baby was in the hospital and after her death. One of those was to thank people who donated to a GoFundMe account that was set up by a friend and raised $11,450 to help with funeral and medical expenses.

“I just wish I would go back and start the whole day completely over,” Stringer posted a month after Rosalee’s death. “The holidays this year won’t be the same for me and my family. My little baby will be celebrating in heaven … You’re my best friend. I love and think about you all the time Rosie.”

Source: The Laurel Leader Call, Staff, December 19, 2021

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
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