A New Orleans mother was convicted of second-degree murder for being the cause of her baby’s malnutrition death, by feeding the infant cow’s milk while fleeing Hurricane Katrina, is now being recommended for release.
The Louisiana pardon board unanimously voted to free Tiffany Woods, who pleaded for her release Monday after serving 17 years behind bars.
Woods, now 43, is currently serving a life sentence for her role in the November 2005 death of her 5-month-old son, Emmanuel.
Prosecutors said, “Woods is a mother to three other children. Her new son was born prematurely in 2005, just a couple months before Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, devastating New Orleans and causing mass displacement. The infant weighed just over 3 pounds and was diagnosed with a genetic abnormality, but Woods wasn’t made aware of the extent of Emmanuel’s condition before being discharged from the hospital.”
Before Katrina hit, Woods and her family decided to evacuate more than 300 miles from New Orleans to Shreveport, where troubles with the baby’s formula intake began.
“The formula he was taking, he wasn’t swallowing. He was always throwing it up, and then we ran out of WIC (food) vouchers, so I decided to switch it. I switched it to organic milk. I thought he was doing better, but he wasn’t thriving,” she told the parole board this week.
Woods also said while in tears, “I was suffering from horrible stress and depression at that time. My family wasn’t around me. I didn’t know where they were or if any of them were alive or not. I admit I made poor choices and I have to live with the fact that my son is gone because of me.”
However, prosecutors stated that the baby was never taken to a doctor despite his deteriorating health, ultimately leading to his death in November 2005 due to malnutrition.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), introducing a child to cow’s milk before they are 12 months old increases the risk for intestinal bleeding. Cow’s milk also has too many proteins and minerals for a baby’s kidneys to handle and does not have the right amount of nutrients a baby needs to grow.
Woods and the baby’s father, Emmanuel Scott, were convicted of second-degree murder in 2006 and later sentenced to life in prison. At the time, Woods was 25 and Scott was 18.
Suzanne Ellis, who prosecuted the couple at trial, opposed Woods’ release.
“I will go to my grave remembering this baby,” Ellis said. “This baby was the most pitiful thing I have seen in 26 years. Please do not give her an opportunity at release. Do not give her an opportunity to harm another child, because I am convinced that if she can, she will.”
Ms. Wood’s other children, who are now grown, were present for the board meeting earlier this week including Troy Woods who spoke in support of his mother and Nie’John Woods, who appeared via video from Alaska, where he serves in the US Air Force.
Troy said, “The Louisiana pardon board’s recommendation to release my mom could finally allow the family to heal after her arrest and conviction ripped our family apart. There were many difficulties growing up without her, moving from home to home as a child with people who were not always caring or loving.”
Woods said she has since changed as a person, and that while in prison she took courses on parenting, anger management and trauma healing.
Kristen Thomas, a warden at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in Baker, called Woods a “low-risk, low-need” inmate.
The board voted unanimously that Ms Woods should be granted her freedom. But that decision ultimately comes down to Governor John Bel Edwards.
“I want to thank him for the consideration. For the first time in a very long time we have hope, which is a huge deal for myself and my siblings,” Nie’John added.
