Clara Edwards Gets 20-Year Sentence In Death Of Foster Child In Catoosa County

  • Monday, June 27, 2016

A Catoosa County woman on Monday was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison in connection with the death of a foster child.

Clara Louise Edwards entered a guilty plea to voluntary manslaughter as a lesser included offense of felony murder before Judge Ralph Van Pelt.

Ms. Edwards was indicted in July of 2014 by the Catoosa County Grand Jury for malice murder, felony murder and cruelty to children in the first degree in connection with the death of Saharah Weatherspoon, a foster child who had been placed in her and her husband Ron Edwards’ care in early 2013.

 On Dec. 29, 2013, the child was taken to T.C. Thompson’s Childrens Hospital with a traumatic brain injury.  She died a short time later as a result of the injury.

Ms. Edwards was tried before a Catoosa County jury in February and the jury acquitted her on the malice murder charge and convicted her on the cruelty to children in the first degree. A mistrial was declared on the remaining count of felony murder when the jury reached an impasse 10-2 in favor of conviction. 

Ms. Edwards was represented by Daniel J. Ripper, an attorney with Luther Andersen in Chattanooga.

The case was prosecuted by District Attorney Herbert "Buzz" Franklin and Catoosa County Senior Assistant District Attorney Alan C. Norton.

 

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