Tamra Straughter sentenced to life in prison for killing infant
11 october 2026 в 21:02
Tamra R. Strouter, an operator of a home daycare in Ohio, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the murder of a five-month-old boy whom she referred to as «fussy». Franklin County Judge Bill Sperlazza issued the sentence on October 7, 2024, after a jury found Strouter guilty of murder and child endangerment in August.
Strouter, 54, will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years of her sentence. The sentencing came less than a month after the jury’s verdict. The court took into account the 54 days she had already spent in custody following the verdict.
The incident occurred on October 9, 2023, when the boy’s mother, Stasia Crawford, dropped him and his twin brother off at the daycare that Strouter operated out of her home in Reynoldsburg. A few hours after she left her sons, Reynoldsburg police called her to inform her that Crawford-Chapman had briefly stopped breathing and that medics were on the way. She was later told that the boy was breathing again and was fine.
After the incident, Strouter told Crawford that she «hit Kashan on the back when he choked on a mixture, left to help another child, and when she returned, noticed that Kashan was having trouble breathing». Later, Crawford took her son to a medical center where he stopped breathing again. The boy was transported to the hospital, but on the way, he «stopped». At the hospital, doctors immediately noticed bruises on Kashan’s body as well as two broken jaws. Medical staff reported that the injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome and that his brain was swelling.
Kashan was pronounced dead less than a week after being admitted to the hospital. Due to the discovered injuries, medical personnel reported the incident to the Franklin County Children Services, and an investigation into possible physical abuse was initiated. The Franklin County coroner’s final conclusion determined that Crawford-Chapman's death was a homicide caused by «blunt force trauma consistent with shaken baby syndrome».
According to Crawford’s lawsuit, the children services later found evidence of physical abuse by Strouter and did not find evidence that the boy’s parents had harmed him. Prosecutors alleged that Strouter violently shook Crawford-Chapman, leading to his death. Strouter was arrested in February 2024 on charges of murder and child endangerment. At the time of her arrest, she told police that the child had been «fussy» throughout the day and did not explain how he sustained his injuries. During the investigation, it was found that she deleted messages in which she complained about the twins' «fussiness».
Strouter, 54, will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years of her sentence. The sentencing came less than a month after the jury’s verdict. The court took into account the 54 days she had already spent in custody following the verdict.
The incident occurred on October 9, 2023, when the boy’s mother, Stasia Crawford, dropped him and his twin brother off at the daycare that Strouter operated out of her home in Reynoldsburg. A few hours after she left her sons, Reynoldsburg police called her to inform her that Crawford-Chapman had briefly stopped breathing and that medics were on the way. She was later told that the boy was breathing again and was fine.
After the incident, Strouter told Crawford that she «hit Kashan on the back when he choked on a mixture, left to help another child, and when she returned, noticed that Kashan was having trouble breathing». Later, Crawford took her son to a medical center where he stopped breathing again. The boy was transported to the hospital, but on the way, he «stopped». At the hospital, doctors immediately noticed bruises on Kashan’s body as well as two broken jaws. Medical staff reported that the injuries were consistent with shaken baby syndrome and that his brain was swelling.
Kashan was pronounced dead less than a week after being admitted to the hospital. Due to the discovered injuries, medical personnel reported the incident to the Franklin County Children Services, and an investigation into possible physical abuse was initiated. The Franklin County coroner’s final conclusion determined that Crawford-Chapman's death was a homicide caused by «blunt force trauma consistent with shaken baby syndrome».
According to Crawford’s lawsuit, the children services later found evidence of physical abuse by Strouter and did not find evidence that the boy’s parents had harmed him. Prosecutors alleged that Strouter violently shook Crawford-Chapman, leading to his death. Strouter was arrested in February 2024 on charges of murder and child endangerment. At the time of her arrest, she told police that the child had been «fussy» throughout the day and did not explain how he sustained his injuries. During the investigation, it was found that she deleted messages in which she complained about the twins' «fussiness».
© Zhinobaeva Margarita
