Lim v. State

The appellant, Syna Lim, was charged and convicted of aggravated child abuse and first-degree felony murder in the death of two-year-old Amara Ou, who died of blunt force trauma to the head. The appellant raises two issues on appeal, only one of which merits discussion. She argues that her conviction for aggravated child abuse must be set aside because the merger doctrine precludes the use of aggravated child abuse as the underlying felony in a felony murder charge if only a single act of abuse led to the child’s death. We disagree and affirm.

The felony murder statute specifically provides…