United Group Insurance

Western Iowa woman gets 50 years for daughter’s death

News

August 24th, 2018 by Ric Hanson

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) — A western Iowa woman convicted of causing the death of her young daughter by giving her unprescribed antidepressants has been sentenced to 50 years in prison. The Daily Nonpareil newspaper reports a judge on Thursday sentenced 34-year-old Misty Frazier, of Glenwood, to the prison term following her earlier conviction for child endangerment resulting in death. Frazier was found not guilty of other charges, including second-degree murder. She will be immediately eligible for parole.

An autopsy showed Frazier’s 8-year-old daughter, Kathleen Tafta, died in October 2016 of an overdose of the antidepressant amitriptyline, commonly sold under the brand name Elavil. Frazier’s lawyer argued during the trial that her actions were due to an intellectual impairment.