A woman in Midland was sentenced Thursday, Nov. 5, to life in prison without parole for the death of her 5-week-old daughter. A jury convicted Sarah Michelle Gilley-Wroe, 24, of one count of capital murder of a child under 10 years old.
The infant died May 11, 2022, at Midland Memorial Hospital from severe head trauma, according to the report. Medical evidence showed two fractures in the back of the girl's skull, and the injuries were consistent with blunt force trauma. Medical experts said the force needed to cause the injury was equal to the force of a fall from a two-story building.
Detectives searched Gilley-Wroe's phone and found Google searches that were described as incriminating. The report also said she made statements while in custody, including telling a cellmate that she threw the baby against the wall and struck the baby until it stopped crying. Gilley-Wroe was the only person alone with the child during the time the crime could have occurred. Gilley-Wroe claimed the injuries could have been caused by her aunt, the baby's father or her dog.