Sept. 10, 2020 7:50p
(WGTD)---The story was stunningly sad: A Kenosha couple, in an effort to cover-up the apparent, accidental death of their newborn baby, discards the body by placing it in a plastic bag and dumping it in a wooded area. Weeks go by before a relative questions the baby's absence and goes to police. Officers find the bag, but it appears the body may have been dragged away by an animal.
In court Thursday, the mother of the child was sentenced to probation and time served for her role in the 2019 case by a judge who said the sentence was a difficult one to fashion.
Judge Jason Rossell noted that 22-year-old Monica Adams had a supportive family and a spotless record--up until last year. "Everything in your background would say this wouldn't happen," Rossell said. "But it did."
According to defense attorney Angela Komp, things started to go south for Adams after she met the baby's father, Hezile Frison, Jr., a felon who is 15 years her senior. Adams dropped out of college, got pregnant, and, still coupled with Frison, became homeless.
The pair had been living in Kenosha with Frison's sister, the relative who got suspicious and alerted police.
In her pre-sentence remarks, Adams broke down in sobs as she apologized to her family and others.
Rossell told her she needs to go forth now and work to reach her potential, using the death of her daughter as motivation. "You owe it to your daughter," the judge said.
Frison is scheduled to be sentenced next month.
Authorities said there was no indication that the baby's death was anything but an accident. Speculation on the cause ranged from co-sleeping to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
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