Colo. woman sentenced for strangling newborn daughter, 'partially' buying her in yard

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (TCD) -- A judge sentenced a 21-year-old woman to 55 years in prison last week for killing her newborn daughter and burying her in a yard after she entered a plea for related charges.

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports Amy Carr pleaded guilty Friday, April 21, to second-degree murder and tampering with a deceased human body in connection with the death of her daughter, Lily Carr. An El Paso County judge handed Carr a 48-year sentence for the second-degree murder charge and seven for tampering. She will also serve five years of parole when she is released.

Had she gone to trial, Carr would have faced life in prison.

The charges stem from a Jan. 23, 2021, incident when a woman called the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office to report the discovery of an unresponsive newborn who was "lying partially buried in her yard."  El Paso County deputies and emergency personnel arrived at the scene and declared the newborn deceased.

Investigators from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit arrested Carr on June 3, 2021, on first-degree murder and other charges.

According to KXRM-TV, when deputies went to the property on Shear Road in Yoder, they reportedly found blood near a front door and inside a nearby shed. Deputies also reportedly discovered a placenta and umbilical cord inside the shed.

Eventually, they located the newborn in a shallow grave between two cars.

Carr reportedly told investigators she gave birth Jan. 18, and that the child was stillborn. Text messages to the child’s father, however, said otherwise. Carr messaged the father and said, "It’s born."

The father, who was not publicly identified, replied, "I’m surprised it was alive and not stillborn."

Carr said back, "Seriously me too. And how long I had to strangle it before it even stopped breathing. Strong lil girl."

The Gazette reports Carr admitted she tried to force miscarriages several times throughout her pregnancy. Her attorneys argued Carr suffered years of sexual abuse and neglect, which impacted her ability to bond with her child.

KKTV-TV reports prosecutor Andrew Vaughn said at the sentencing, "I’m glad we could get justice for Lily. Just because nobody loved her coming into this world or coming out of this world doesn’t mean that this community doesn’t care for her. This community fought for her, and this community wanted to get her justice."

MORE:

• El Paso County woman sentenced to prison for killing newborn child - The Gazette
• Colorado woman takes plea deal for murdering her newborn baby, sentence handed out - KKTV
• Mother Arrested in Death of Newborn, 6/4/2021 - El Paso County Sheriff's Office
• Arrest papers detail investigation into death of baby found buried in Yoder yard - KXRM