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Home › Politics

Politics | 04/28/2009 12:15 pm

Stacey Barker Held in Suffocation Death of Daughter, Emma Leigh

Stacey Barker remains in prison for allegedly suffocating daughter to death.
By The Staff at wowOwow.com
Emma Leigh Barker/Image via Los Angeles County

Sheriff's Department

A California woman named Stacey Barker remains in jail for allegedly suffocating her 18-month-daughter, Emma Leigh, to death. Ms. Barker claims that she was knocked out and her child was abducted, but police insist otherwise. Emma Leigh first went missing on March 18, and, after finding inconsistencies in Barker’s story, police arrested her last week.

Said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Pat Nelson:

"At this point, as best as we can determine, the infant died through suffocation at the hands of the mother. After her third or fourth version of events, we knew she wasn’t telling the truth, and we were able to determine what happened. At this point, we believe she acted alone."

Cops believe Barker killed her daughter at least four hours before declaring her missing, and dumped her body in a nearby town, the Los Angeles Times reports. This is truly a tragedy. 

Read more about: California, crime, Emma Leigh Barker, Murder, News, Stacey Barker, Suffocation

18 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

C Hardy
Oh My Heavens…is that what Post Pardom Depression does?  I just dont get it.  My daughter drives me nuts but the thought of her getting hurt just throws me into defense mode and there is no way I could take her life after wanting her so bad. 
By C Hardy on 04/28/2009 12:45 pm
HA BIBI
Another narcissistic Casey Anthony person! Add to kook file.
By HA BIBI on 04/28/2009 1:29 pm
S G
If she did this and evidence proves so keep her locked up. Check her for postpartum  depression. I believe Casey Anthony who did not want to have Caley in the first place is guilty. Her parents are now paying the price of forcing her into motherhood when she was unstable if reports I have heard are true.. This young woman I am unsure of the evidence. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.
By S G on 04/28/2009 1:57 pm
Amanda C
poor baby.
By Amanda C on 04/28/2009 2:12 pm
deber B

As a mother and grandmother, I simply do not understand a mother being driven to that point.   A precious child.   So hard to imagine. 

Lock her up so that she will never have another child.

By deber B on 04/28/2009 2:55 pm
Deena B.
Isn’t 18 months a bit long for postpartum depression?  Sadly, so many of these cases seem to involve situations where there is no solid family unit.  I don’t know much about this situation yet but I notice there is no mention here of the father.  I have yet to hear anything about Caylee Anthony’s father. 
By Deena B. on 04/28/2009 3:44 pm
Amanda C
post partum depression has no time limit. there is a difference between "baby blues" - a normal, common feeling after giving birth, post-partum depression which happens to 13% of new mothers, and post-partum PSYCHOSIS which occures in 1-14% of births.
By Amanda C on 04/28/2009 4:01 pm
Deena B.

Yes, I did a search and did see that there is a difference.  I thought it said postpartum depression could last up to "several months" which isn’t very specific.  But 18 months seems like more than several.  Maybe I got the two backwards, though.  So can postpartum depression last indefinitely?  I’m a little unclear about that.  

By Deena B. on 04/28/2009 5:10 pm
Mel Berg
There sure isn’t a lot of details in this article, like where was the baby found? If she was supposed to have been abducted….. there seems to be more stories out there about mothers killing their babies these days. What is the world coming to?
By Mel Berg on 04/28/2009 7:06 pm
Irish Eyes NY
mel berg:  You ask what is this world coming to??     Its coming to an end. Be prepared.
By Irish Eyes NY on 04/28/2009 7:18 pm
Deena B.
I guess it is implied, but the article doesn’t even actually say the baby was found, let alone where.  It is extremely vague.  I just truly believe that not enough people have a solid family support system today.  I’m not saying a "family" has to strictly fit any one definition.  But we all need something. 
By Deena B. on 04/28/2009 8:37 pm
Lauri Anderson
Not being a parent, I cannot really speak to either postpartum depression, or to being responsible for another human being 24/7, so I will never understand what can possibly drive a person to commit such a tragic crime.  I also cannot imagine what will become of these people when their acts finally sink in, and they have to live with themselves finally knowing what they’ve done.  God help them.
By Lauri Anderson on 04/28/2009 7:10 pm
Deena B.
Being a parent, I cannot understand something like this.  My child means more to me than life itself.  I just cannot fathom it. 
By Deena B. on 04/28/2009 8:31 pm
L. C.

Poor sweet innocent baby!

My condolescences  and prayers go to her  family and friends!

By L. C. on 04/29/2009 10:11 am
STACY SEARS

That poor precious baby.  As a mom and grandma, I cannot fathom these actions.  I think every parent out there can understand being totally frustrated at times, but nothing like this.  I know this would open up a big can of worms, but at minimum, she needs to be sterilized so she doesn’t ever have the opportunity to have another child, as well spend the rest of her life in prison (or a mental facility).  Of course, I wouldn’t be opposed to the death penalty either.

By STACY SEARS on 05/05/2009 3:33 am
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