*Magistrate James Lammey, on Feb 8, handed down a 51-year prison sentence to Shanynthia Gardner. In her mid-30s, the Tennessee woman was sentenced to prison five years later after she stabbed and killed her four small children. Fortunately for her eldest son, who was seven years old at the time, he escaped and survived.
Despite pleading for insanity, Lammey dismissed the claim leaving her to serve her sentence before eligibility for parole. During the bench trial of Dec 21, the magistrate found Gardner guilty of four counts of first-degree murder, child endangerment, and child abuse.
Shelby Country prosecutor held a news conference regarding the 51-year prison sentence. The accused slit the throats of her four minor children: Tallen 4, Sya 3, Sahvi 2, and Yahzi, six months old, in July 2016. The sad incident happened at their home – Greens of Irene Apartments, Memphis. On hearing the eldest son, Dallen, screaming for help, one neighbor called the police before witnessing Gardner leaving her apartment with a knife. On arrival, the police found the bodies of the four children in two separate rooms. The accused also had cuts on her wrists and neck.
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Sonya Clayton, Dallen’s grandmother, told reporters that the incident was the work of the devil. She hadn’t seen Gardner in years and didn’t believe the latter’s actions. Thus, she still loves and prays for the accused. The Sheriff’s Office – Shelby County – in their investigation at the Department of Children and Family Services found no previous complaints against Gardner.
Martin, Gardner’s husband and the father of the four deceased, testified in court that he had spoken with his wife on the day of the events and found nothing unusual. The accused had informed him that they were preparing to watch a movie.
However, Ashley Snodgrass, the accused’s sister, testified that the latter had a history of mental problems and was ‘talking in circles’ a few days before the incident. She also added that Gardner was constantly paranoid, and it is not clear if there will be an appeal for the sentence.
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