DENVER—A woman accused of starving a 7-year-old boy last year has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as jurors began deliberating charges against her boyfriend on the same case.
Sarah Berry, 23, issued her plea Monday in Denver District Court as jurors begun deliberating murder and child-abuse charges against her co-defendant Jon Phillips in the starvation death of Chandler Grafner, who weighed 34 pounds when he died.
Attorneys for Phillips, 27, wrapped up their case Monday after a two-week trial without putting him on the stand.
Phillips is charged in the May 2007 death of Chandler. A coroner said Chandler died of starvation and dehydration.
In closing arguments, prosecutors said Phillips, who was the boy’s guardian, starved him and kept him in a closet the final weeks of his life.
“He killed him,” said Deputy District Attorney David Lamb, pointing at Phillips and shouting in the nearly crowded court room. “He turned to the two weapons of choice, he turned to food and a closet.”
During the two week trial, a police officer testified that she asked Chandler during a welfare check if he had breakfast and the boy replied, “I’m bad, I don’t get things.”
Lamb referred to the incident, which happened on Jan. 20, 2007, several times during his closing arguments and added that Phillips extremely disliked Chandler.
“If you want to shut a child up,” Lamb said, “it is easy to just stick him in the closet.”
Defense attorney Darren Cantor said Chandler died of acute diabetes that went undetected.
“This is someone who missed the signs,” Cantor argued. “It wasn’t bad parenting.”
Jon Phillips is charged with first-degree murder for knowingly causing the death of a child under 12, fatal child abuse and tampering with evidence.
Berry was facing the same charges, but they have been dismissed in exchange for her second-degree murder guilty plea. She has agreed to serve 48 years in prison and five years of mandatory parole.
A sentenced hearing is set for Sept. 29.
