Sheila O’Leary Given Life Sentence After Feeding 18-Month-Old a Strict Raw Diet

Sheila O’Leary, a 39-year-old mother from Florida, has been sentenced to life imprisonment following the death of her 18-month-old son, Ezra, who starved to death from malnutrition after being fed a restrictive diet of raw fruits and vegetables. O’Leary was convicted in June of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, manslaughter, and neglect after a Florida jury found that Ezra, who weighed just 17 pounds at the time of his death in September 2019, had suffered extreme neglect under her care.

During the trial, prosecutors revealed that O’Leary and her husband, Ryan O’Leary, had fed their children—who also faced severe neglect—only a strict vegan diet, including raw fruit and vegetables, alongside breastfeeding. Ezra’s death was attributed to the lack of essential nutrients, while three other children, aged 3, 5, and 11, were also found to be victims of ongoing abuse and neglect.

After a five-day trial, the jury deliberated for just three hours before reaching a guilty verdict. Prosecutors detailed how O’Leary had ignored her son’s cries for help, choosing not to seek medical attention for his condition.

Ryan O’Leary, 33, faces similar charges, including sexual assault and molestation of a child under 12. He remains in prison awaiting trial.

Following the conviction, O’Leary was sentenced to life in prison for the first-degree murder of Ezra. Additionally, she received 30 years for aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter, as well as five years for child neglect and abuse, as confirmed by the Office of the State Attorney for Florida’s 20th Judicial Circuit.

Court Hears of Cruz’s Obsession with Death and Assassination During Civil War Lesson in Middle School

Disturbing new details have emerged about Nikolas Cruz’s behaviour during his time in middle school, as evidence was presented during his sentencing trial. In one incident from September 2013, Cruz, then in eighth grade, became fixated on death and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln during a lesson on the American Civil War. According to a behavioural assessment submitted in court, Cruz asked chilling questions such as, “Was there blood everywhere? What did it sound like when Lincoln was shot? Did people eat the bodies after the war?” His fixation on death and violence was documented in several other incidents, revealing an unsettling interest in firearms and violent acts.

In another case, Cruz drew disturbing images on his vocabulary worksheet in September 2013, depicting people being shot and nude stick figures. His obsession with guns was also evident, as he frequently talked about firearms, even during class activities. On one occasion in October 2013, Cruz read aloud the ending of a book in order to spoil it, later stating his preference for guns over the book.

Despite such behaviour, Cruz appeared to be compliant during his counselling sessions, where he did not display his violent tendencies. However, it was revealed that Cruz made comments in 2013 suggesting a desire to be remembered for something significant, echoing statements made in a video filmed just days before the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. In the video, Cruz ominously stated, “You’re all going to die. I can’t wait,” revealing his growing notoriety and desire to be remembered.

The court also heard from Cruz’s former school counsellor, Jessica Clark Flournoy, who confirmed that Cruz behaved well in her sessions, but she was unaware of his obsession with guns. Nonetheless, the prosecution argued that Cruz’s actions were intentional and that he sought to be moved to a different school by deliberately misbehaving.

Cruz’s behaviour was deemed concerning enough to warrant a transfer from his previous school, West Glades Middle, to a school specialising in special education in February 2014. A few years later, he enrolled at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where, in February 2018, he carried out a mass shooting, killing 17 students and staff members.

Cruz has since pleaded guilty to the charges and the jury must now decide whether he will be sentenced to life in prison without parole or face the death penalty. The trial has already seen emotional testimony from victims’ families and details of the brutal attack, with the defence presenting arguments related to Cruz’s troubled upbringing and mental health.

Witness recounts traumatic moments from Nikolas Cruz’s youth, including his father’s sudden death

Court testimony has shed light on the troubled upbringing of Nikolas Cruz, the Parkland shooter, as his defence seeks to spare him from the death penalty. Witness Finai Browd, a friend of Cruz’s late adoptive mother, recounted harrowing details of Cruz’s early life, including witnessing his adoptive father’s fatal heart attack at the age of five.

According to Browd’s video testimony, Cruz ran to his mother, crying, “Daddy’s dead.” His father, Roger, had collapsed in their home’s den while Cruz and his younger brother Zachary were nearby. Following the tragedy, both boys attended a grief support group, but jurors heard that Cruz did not receive proper counselling until four years later.

Browd described Cruz as a child with severe behavioural issues, characterised by violent tantrums and aggressive tendencies that made it difficult for him to interact with peers. She also recalled an incident involving Cruz’s inappropriate behaviour towards a young girl. Despite these challenges, his mother, Lynda, indulged him to avoid outbursts.

Lynda Cruz, who adopted Nikolas and Zachary after enduring four miscarriages, raised the boys alone after Roger’s death in 2004. In November 2017, just three months before the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Lynda also passed away, leaving the brothers orphaned.

On 14 February 2018, Cruz carried out one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, killing 17 students and staff members. He has since pleaded guilty to 34 charges, including murder and attempted murder.

The defence argues that Cruz’s actions were shaped by his tumultuous life, from exposure to drugs in the womb to the deaths of his adoptive parents and ongoing mental health struggles. Jurors must now decide whether Cruz will face life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty.