Texas woman exonerated in baby’s death freed after 22 years

The 10-month-old infant she was babysitting had died after being burned by scalding bathwater. Read more at straitstimes.com.

HOUSTON - A woman who spent 22 years in a US prison over the death of a 10-month-old boy in her care was set free on March 11, after courts ruled she was sentenced based on flawed testimony and incomplete evidence.

“I was strong, I believed in God,” Ms Carmen Mejia, a native of Honduras, told reporters moments after leaving the Texas prison where she was held.

A deportation order had been pending against her as a result of her conviction, but immigration authorities lifted those restrictions following the new verdict, her defence team said.

Ms Mejia, 54, expressed her gratitude to God and her lawyers, calling her release a “miracle”.

“While we are overjoyed that the courts finally recognize that Ms Mejia is innocent, this grave injustice should have never happened in the first place,” said Ms Vanessa Potkin, Ms Mejia’s attorney.

Ms Mejia was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for the death of a 10-month-old infant she was babysitting who was critically burned by scalding bathwater in 2003. The child died in the hospital as a result of the burns.