A jury has found a mother guilty of second-degree murder and child abuse for the death of her toddler, who weighed just 9-pounds at the time of her death.

Denise Janelle Snow- Ingram

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell has announced late last week that defendant Denise Janelle Snow-Ingram, 48, has been found guilty.

On July 10, 2013, Snow-Ingram called 9-1-1 asking for help with an unresponsive child. The girl was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead. A medical expert who reviewed the case determined the child died of malnutrition and was suffering from Rickets, a disease caused by a lack of Vitamin D.

At trial, prosecutors were able to prove that Snow-Ingram intentionally fed her daughter an inadequate diet and deprived her of any medical care. Although she was 16-months old at the time of her death, the child weighed less than nine pounds. Seven physicians testified about the possible causes of Rickets and all agreed the illness is most often caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight and an inadequate diet.

“It is heartbreaking that a parent chose her own personal preferences over the well-being of her child,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “This was a child who stood no chance of surviving in the hands of her own parents. It is a point of pride that our prosecutors, and the victim advocate on the case, defended the memory of this innocent child when almost no one else would.”

In 2022, the victim’s father was prosecuted and sentenced to prison for manslaughter and child abuse.

Sentencing for Snow-Ingram is scheduled for January 19th. She could face anywhere from 23 years to life in prison.