Woman sentenced for decapitating daughter
SEATTLE - The case is chilling. And the final moments came in a King County court Friday afternoon as a mother was sentenced to 23 years in prison for beating, then killing her daughter.
On Dec. 31, 2004, 6-year-old Kyeimah Spann told her mom she was afraid there were spiders in her bed, and she wouldn't to go to sleep.
Her mother, Samara Spann, said that was just too much.
Prosecutor Kristin Richardson quoted Spann's videotaped confession:
"Kyeimah, in the defendant's mind, required in her words 'too much damn attention.' Even if she beat her, she required too much attention," Richardson said.
"I sat on the couch and thought about this for two hours," Richardson continued, quoting Spann. "'Why can't this girl listen? Why can't she just lay down and go to sleep? Why does she have to have all this attention?' She told Kyeimah to take a bath because it was the only way for her, the defendant, to be free."
Spann says she filled the bathtub in their White Center home and drowned Kyeimah. Later, she beheaded her, saying she was trying to release a demon.
It is an appalling crime that brought a berating from the defendant's own father in court.
"You didn't want Kyeimah," Gary Spann said. "You coulda gave her to anybody in the family. Anybody. But you chose to do what you had to do to put more pain and punishment on this family. You lied to us. You did everything you possibly could to us. If the court give you anything, they need to give you whatever the maximum is."
Samara's mother spoke as well.
"I know what Samara did to my granddaughter was wrong. Period," Sheila Eisenhart said. "But as Samara's mother, I forgive Samara. I love you Samara."
Spann told investigators she dumped Kyeimah's body in a Wahkiakum County river. It's never been found.
But she admits if it was, there would have been welts and scars from years of abuse.
The defense laid out Samara Spann's own abusive childhood and said she is remorseful.
"This young woman is tortured by that and will be tortured by that for the rest of her life," said defense attorney Virginia Faller.
Defense attorney Scott Carter-Eldred read a letter Spann had written, asking for mercy.
"I have hated myself and been really hard on myself. These past two years have been very haunting for me. I have lived with the guilt of taking my daughter's life. My action has shocked my soul to devastation," the letter said.
The judge sentenced her to 23 years, which is in the middle of the standard range. She said Samara Spann, having suffered herself, should have known that Kyeimah deserved better.
Spann has two other children. Her 16-year-old daughter is living with a relative. And Spann's father Gary is adopting her youngest son.
Spann is not allowed to have contact with either one until they are at least 18 years old.
On Dec. 31, 2004, 6-year-old Kyeimah Spann told her mom she was afraid there were spiders in her bed, and she wouldn't to go to sleep.
Her mother, Samara Spann, said that was just too much.
Prosecutor Kristin Richardson quoted Spann's videotaped confession:
"Kyeimah, in the defendant's mind, required in her words 'too much damn attention.' Even if she beat her, she required too much attention," Richardson said.
"I sat on the couch and thought about this for two hours," Richardson continued, quoting Spann. "'Why can't this girl listen? Why can't she just lay down and go to sleep? Why does she have to have all this attention?' She told Kyeimah to take a bath because it was the only way for her, the defendant, to be free."
Spann says she filled the bathtub in their White Center home and drowned Kyeimah. Later, she beheaded her, saying she was trying to release a demon.
It is an appalling crime that brought a berating from the defendant's own father in court.
"You didn't want Kyeimah," Gary Spann said. "You coulda gave her to anybody in the family. Anybody. But you chose to do what you had to do to put more pain and punishment on this family. You lied to us. You did everything you possibly could to us. If the court give you anything, they need to give you whatever the maximum is."
Samara's mother spoke as well.
"I know what Samara did to my granddaughter was wrong. Period," Sheila Eisenhart said. "But as Samara's mother, I forgive Samara. I love you Samara."
Spann told investigators she dumped Kyeimah's body in a Wahkiakum County river. It's never been found.
But she admits if it was, there would have been welts and scars from years of abuse.
The defense laid out Samara Spann's own abusive childhood and said she is remorseful.
"This young woman is tortured by that and will be tortured by that for the rest of her life," said defense attorney Virginia Faller.
Defense attorney Scott Carter-Eldred read a letter Spann had written, asking for mercy.
"I have hated myself and been really hard on myself. These past two years have been very haunting for me. I have lived with the guilt of taking my daughter's life. My action has shocked my soul to devastation," the letter said.
The judge sentenced her to 23 years, which is in the middle of the standard range. She said Samara Spann, having suffered herself, should have known that Kyeimah deserved better.
Spann has two other children. Her 16-year-old daughter is living with a relative. And Spann's father Gary is adopting her youngest son.
Spann is not allowed to have contact with either one until they are at least 18 years old.