Mother sentenced to 78 years for killing her children.
OAN’s Abril Elfi
11:33 AM – Saturday, September 23, 2023
A Virginia mother was sentenced to 78 years in prison after she was found guilty of killing her two daughters.
On Friday, Veronica Younglood was sentenced for sedating her two daughters, 5-year-old Sharon Castro and 15-year-old Brooklyn Youngblood, with melatonin before fatally shooting them.
The 38-year-old mother had been arrested in August of 2018 after the fatal shooting in their residence in McLean, Virginia.
Before her passing, Sharon was able to call 9-1-1 and report to a dispatcher that she had been shot by her mother.
Reportedly, the call was played at Youngblood’s two-week trial and it was so traumatic that “jurors inquired about whether they could receive trauma therapy.”
According to authorities, the convicted mother stated that she planned to kill her kids and herself due to a custody battle with her ex-husband who wanted to move to Missouri with both daughters.
At trial, Youngblood claimed an insanity defense, which was denied.
Youngblood gave a testimony where she explained how she was born in poverty in Argentina, and was physically and sexually abused as a child by her grandfather, and turned to sex work as a teenager to support her baby and her younger sister.
After hearing her testimony, the jurors recommended the 78-year sentence.
Defense attorneys had requested that the two murder sentences be served concurrently rather than consecutively, which would have reduced the sentence from 78 to 42 years. However, Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows said that he saw no reason to reduce the jury’s recommendation.
“Mothers and fathers have many responsibilities, but none is more grave than keeping their children safe,” he said. “Tragically, their mother became the instrument of their death.”
Prosecutor Kelsey Gill stressed that the killings were premeditated and that Youngblood purchased the rifle she used just a week earlier.
Before her sentencing, Youngblood said through a spanish interpreter that she had been a good mother but something had “come over her.”
“I’ve been a good mother, but something happened, I don’t know how to explain it,” she told the judge through the interpreter. “Something exploded in my mind.”
Reportedly, Youngblood called her ex-husband after the shooting, leaving a message that she’d killed the girls and that she hated him.
Ron Youngblood, Brooklynn’s father and a key figure in Sharon’s upbringing, said he chose a seat in the courtroom where he couldn’t see his ex-wife because it was too difficult to hear the words of the woman who killed his daughters. He admitted that he knew his ex-wife disliked him, but “never once did [he] imagine she could do anything like that to [their] girls.”
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
This week has been filled with major headlines in the U.S. and around the world. One America’s Rachel Acenas has more in our Week In Review.
New Jersey Sen. Menendez is indicted for bribery while Joe Biden says he’s been to every mass shooting.
Illegal immigration under President Biden’s watch has only been growing since taking office and its surging rapidly heading into 2024.
Reports show that the surge of migrants in Texas is coming with possible deadly health consequences.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States argued on Tuesday that Alphabet Inc’s Google broke the law in its efforts to dominate online…
By John Revill ZURICH (Reuters) – ABB is spending $280 million on a new robotics factory in Sweden, the Swiss engineering and…
PARIS (Reuters) – French Europe Minister Laurence Boon on Wednesday welcomed an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles launched by the EU…
By Mathieu Rosemain and Silvia Aloisi PARIS (Reuters) – Apple said on Wednesday its iPhone 12 model was certified by multiple international…
rnrn
What was the motive behind Veronica Youngblood’s decision to kill her two daughters?
Virginia Mother Sentenced to 78 Years in Prison for Killing Her Two Daughters
A tragic case has come to an end as a Virginia mother has been sentenced to 78 years in prison after being found guilty of killing her two daughters. Veronica Youngblood, a 38-year-old woman, sedated her daughters, 5-year-old Sharon Castro and 15-year-old Brooklyn Youngblood, with melatonin before fatally shooting them in their residence in McLean, Virginia.
The horrifying incident took place in August of 2018, leading to Youngblood’s arrest. Sharon, in a desperate attempt to get help, managed to call 911 and inform the dispatcher that she had been shot by her own mother. The recording of this call was played during Youngblood’s trial, leaving jurors traumatized and in need of therapy.
The motive behind this tragic act was a custody battle with Youngblood’s ex-husband, who wanted to move to Missouri with both daughters. Faced with the possibility of losing her children, Youngblood expressed her intention to kill them and herself. Despite claiming an insanity defense at trial, Youngblood’s defense was rejected.
During the trial, Youngblood shared her traumatic past, growing up in poverty in Argentina. She revealed that she had experienced physical and sexual abuse by her grandfather and resorted to sex work as a teenager to support herself and her younger sister.
After hearing her testimony, the jurors recommended a 78-year sentence. Defense attorneys requested that the murder sentences be served concurrently, which would have reduced the sentence to 42 years. However, the judge presiding over the case saw no reason to overturn the jury’s decision.
In delivering the sentence, Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows emphasized the weight of parental responsibility, stating, “Mothers and fathers have many responsibilities, but none is more grave than keeping their children safe. Tragically, their mother became the instrument of their death.”
The prosecutor, Kelsey Gill, highlighted the premeditated nature of the killings, pointing out that Youngblood had purchased the rifle she used just one week prior. It is clear that this act was not a result of a sudden burst of emotion, but a calculated action.
Before her sentencing, Youngblood, through a Spanish interpreter, claimed to have been a good mother, but something had “come over her.” She stated, “I’ve been a good mother, but something happened, I don’t know how to explain it. Something exploded in my mind.”
The impact of this tragic event on the family is immeasurable. After the shooting, Youngblood called her ex-husband and left a message confessing to killing their daughters and expressing her hatred towards him. Ron Youngblood, Brooklynn’s father and a significant figure in Sharon’s upbringing, attended the trial but purposely chose a seat where he couldn’t see his ex-wife.
This case serves as a chilling reminder of how a seemingly ordinary individual can carry out such a heinous act. It also underscores the importance of mental health awareness and support, as well as the need for effective legal measures to protect the well-being and safety of children.
Justice has been served for Sharon and Brooklyn, but their lives were tragically cut short due to the actions of their own mother. The hope now is that measures will be taken to prevent similar terrible incidents from occurring in the future and that the memory of these young lives will serve as a reminder of the importance of protecting our children.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...