Christian v. Commonwealth

Iris Denise Christian, 17 years of age, mother of a two-year-old son and a six-month-old daughter, was tried under an indictment charging that she “did feloniously and unlawfully and maliciously cause bodily injury to [her daughter] with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or kill her” in violation of Code § 18.2-51. Convicted by the trial court sitting without a jury, she was sentenced to a term of 10 years in the penitentiary with five years suspended on condition of good behavior for 20 years.

In August 1979, the defendant placed the infant in a licensed child day care facility. The driver…