10.10.2011

grandmother convicted in murder of 2-year-old thrown off bridge

Some incredibly sad and horrifying news out of Virginia... Last week in Fairfax County, a grandmother was convicted of first-degree murder for tossing her 2-year-old granddaughter from a pedestrian bridge at a shopping mall: Dela Rosa convicted of murder in throwing granddaughter from pedestrian bridge.

Prosecutors had argued that 50-year-old Carmela dela Rosa was driven to kill the child, Angelyn Ogdoc, out of anger towards the girl's father, who had gotten dela Rosa's daughter pregnant out of wedlock. Dela Rosa had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but it looks like the jury didn't buy it:
The horrific killing was captured by a mall surveillance camera and dela Rosa admitted in a videotaped interview with Fairfax County detectives that she did it out of anger at James Ogdoc, according to testimony.

During the seven-day trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court, jurors heard competing testimony from prosecution and defense psychologists, who came to differing conclusions about dela Rosa’s mental state.

Michael Hendricks, a clinical psychologist called by the defense, testified that dela Rosa suffered from a major depressive disorder with psychotic features that clouded her thinking so much she was legally insane at the time of the crime.

But another clinical psychologist called by the prosecution, Stanton Samenow, told jurors that dela Rosa was not suffering from psychosis. Samenow said dela Rosa suffered from borderline personality disorder.
Sickening. The judge has released video evidence from the trial, including disturbing mall surveillance camera footage of the killing, as well as dela Rosa's videotaped confession to police: Carmela dela Rosa Throws Baby Angelyn Ogdoc Off Walkway At Tysons Corner Center (VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED).

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