St. Joseph mother sentenced to life for baby’s drowning

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — A St. Joseph woman who drowned her 6-month-old son has been sentenced to life in prison.

The St. Joseph News-Press reports that Sydney Jones was sentenced last week for child abuse resulting in death. Jurors found her guilty in July after a prosecution witness testified that he found Jones holding her son, Keith Lars III, down in the water in 2017.

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Police have testified that she acted strangely, saying she was “a child of God.” A psychologist testified that she believed state mental health workers missed a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia, noting that Jones said she felt possessed.

Jones said during the hearing that, “I wake up every day and think I couldn’t save my son.” A jail official testified that Jones had gotten into several fights while incarcerated.

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