SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a South Carolina woman to 20 years in prison for killing her 6-week-old daughter with what prosecutors say was an overdose of morphine delivered through her breast milk.
A Spartanburg County jury found 39-year-old Stephanie Greene guilty of homicide by child abuse Thursday. The former nurse said nothing in court Friday during her sentencing.
A pathologist testified the infant had what could have been a lethal level of morphine for an adult in her system in November 2010. Prosecutors say Greene hid her pregnancy and didn’t tell doctors she was breast feeding so they would continue prescribing painkillers.
Greene’s lawyer says he will appeal because there is no evidence this level of morphine can pass through breast milk.
