Warning: this article discusses the death of a child, which some readers may find distressing.
A mother posted a chilling tribute to her daughter on social media before authorities uncovered that she had been responsible for the girl’s death.
Stephanie Diane Smith received a life sentence after admitting to the police that she had killed her four-year-old daughter.
Before she was discovered, Smith had shared a heartfelt tribute to her daughter on social media.
Her words gave no indication that she was behind the tragic event.
Zadie Wren Cooper passed away on July 7, 2016, with Smith informing authorities that she found her daughter unresponsive.
The medical examiner could not ascertain the cause of Zadie’s death, and a private autopsy commissioned by the family was also inconclusive.
However, on April 13, 2017, Smith entered a police station, requesting to speak with an investigator.
It was then that she confessed to her daughter’s murder.
Police Chief Floyd Johnson explained at a press conference: “She told us that she has mental issues and, at the time of the killing, she had some issues and she was not on her medication.”
Detailing the act, Johnson stated: “She went into Zadie’s room, put a pillow over her head; her face – she was sleeping on her back – and smothered the child.
“A short time later, she realized what was going on; she removed the pillow. Zadie was not breathing, and she called 911.”
Prior to her confession, Smith had posted on Instagram: “I hope you knew how incredibly important you were to me. You were and still are my world. I’m lost without you. Completely lost.”
“I need you, but you’re not here, and I’m so sorry I couldn’t do anything to stop that. I want to go lie by your grave and never leave.”
She added: “I know you aren’t there. No, you’re experiencing what we all aspire to. I wish you’d taken me with you.
“I don’t want to be here without you. I don’t. I love you forever, sugar bear.”
Initially facing a charge of capital murder, Smith later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of felony murder.
She was sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.
However, the timeline for her potential parole eligibility and the conditions required for it remain unclear.