Springfield mom headed to prison
The Springfield mom of a baby found dead at the Drake Motel last year was sentenced this week to three years in prison.
Shania Delawder, 20, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Clark County Common Pleas Court. She was charged in connection with her newborn son Liam Lee Spencer’s death. Liam died Oct. 6, 2016, and the cause of his death was blunt force trauma, according to investigators.
Clark County Prosecutor Andy Wilson said Delawder wasn’t there when the baby was injured but didn’t take action after he was hurt.
“After realizing that Liam was injured, she failed to get medical help for him and as a result of those injuries, Liam died,” he said.
There was about a six hour gap between the time of the injuries and when help was sought, Wilson has said.
“Shania admitted in the interview that she knew her 7-week-old son named Liam Lee Spencer had been severely injured and she did not try to render aide, which resulted in the child’s death, because she was afraid Children’s Services would take him away from her,” according to court records from the case.
Delawder also didn’t cooperate with investigators, the prosecutor said.
“She hampered the investigation in Liam’s death by telling investigators a series of lies about what happened the night Liam died,” Wilson said. “Those lies had a detrimental effect on the investigation and the detectives’ ability to quickly determine what had actually happened to Liam.”
The baby’s father, Brian Lee Spencer Jr., pleaded guilty and was sentenced in January to 11 years in prison for his role in Liam’s death.
Authorities began their investigation when they were called to the Drake Motel after an employee heard a scream.
Connie Bond was on her way to work Thursday morning when she heard calls for help, she said.
“I ran down there, and the baby was laying on his back with his little fists clenched, and he wasn’t moving,” she said.
She made sure 9-1-1 was called, she said.
A deputy arrived on scene within a minute of the call being placed, authorities said, because the sheriff has an office nearby. The deputy tried his best to save the baby, Bond said, but was too late.