*A Louisiana woman who was sentenced to life in prison for feeding her baby organic cow’s milk may soon be able to walk free.
The state pardon board heard Tiffany Woods‘ personal appeal for parole on Monday, August 14, and ruled in her favor WGNO-TV reports.
Woods, 43, was convicted of second-degree murder for causing her baby’s malnutrition death by feeding the child cow’s milk after fleeing Hurricane Katrina. Emmanuel Scott, the baby’s father, was also convicted on the same charge and is serving a life sentence.
Woods and her four children fled the New Orleans area in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. At the time, her son Emmanuel was 2 months old and born prematurely, People reported.
“At that stage of my life, I was a young mother who was trying to take care of her children the best she could,” Woods told a virtual parole hearing. “And I made some terrible decisions.”
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Prosecutors accused Woods of causing Emmanuel’s death in November 2005 after giving the baby cow’s milk instead of infant formula. Woods explained that he wouldn’t drink formula, so she switched to organic milk.
According to the CDC, cow’s milk contains more proteins and minerals than a baby’s kidneys can process. Therefore, internal bleeding is more likely to occur.
After prosecutors pointed out that Woods never took her baby to a doctor, she was convicted of second-degree murder.
“Do not give her an opportunity to harm another child, because I am convinced that if she can, she will,” prosecutor Suzanne Ellis said during the parole hearing.
The final decision on Woods’ parole will be made by Governor John Bel Edwards.
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