BOISE -- An Ada County jury has found a local daycare provider guilty of murdering a two-year-old boy in her care.
Prosecutors said Katherine Stanfield, 58, was watching Wyatt Fesler when she treated the boy so roughly, he eventually died of his injuries on Dec. 13, 2009.
Prosecutors said Stanfield was frustrated with the boy. In court, they showed jurors reports that indicated old and new injuries on Wyatt's body. The prosecution said Wyatt died from abusive head trauma at the hands of Stanfield.
She did it with such force and such violence that she inflicted a significant and catastrophic brain injury from which Wyatt died. said Daniel Dinger, Ada County deputy prosecutor.
Stanfield's husband Bob told KTVB nine months after the incident that his wife was caring for two other children in their Boise home when Wyatt fell.
Started to step up in here and heard a thump, turned around and he was laying down, said Bob Stanfield in September 2010.
Stanfield's attorney told jurors a medical condition caused Wyatt to constantly lose his balance, and that a fall led to the traumatic brain injury that took his life.
That he hits his head on the floor, cabinets, refrigerator, hits the front and back of his head. He's a person who holds his breath. He's got dizziness. He's clumsy, said Ed Odessey, Ada County public defender.
Wyatt is the son of Lance Fesler, who is engaged to Stacie Duvall, the Stanfield's daughter.
Jurors received the case Thursday afternoon and reached a verdict around noon today. Stanfield was found guilty of first-degree murder.
Sentencing is set for Aug. 21. Stanfield faces a minimum of 10 years, and up to life in prison.
