Latest news with #Zzzquil
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Zanesville man who helped conceal his deceased father's body sentenced to nine years
ZANESVILLE ‒ One man saw his wife go to prison for murder earlier this year when a dead body was discovered in a backyard shed, but he also received a lengthy sentence for his ancillary role. David Ralph Cole Jr., 44, of Zanesville, received nine years in prison when he went before Judge Gerald Anderson May 28. He was convicted on five counts after entering a plea bargain on April 16, including tampering with evidence, obstructing justice, and endangering children, all third-degree felonies, and gross abuse of a corpse and possessing criminal tools, fifth-degree felonies. On Feb. 10, Zanesville police responded to Cole's Somers Street address. They found the body of his father, David Cole Sr., 80, wrapped in a tarp and plastic mattress cover and hidden in a shed. On Dec. 24, Cole's wife, Brittany Lee Cole, 38, gave her father-in-law double doses of Zzzquil and Tylenol No. 3, a combination of codeine and acetaminophen, after he became ill and bedridden and complained of pain. She had been his primary caretaker, noted an announcement from the Muskingum County Prosecutor's office. Brittany found Cole Sr. dead the next morning. Cole didn't check on his father often, the prosecutor's office noted, and he didn't discover his body until Jan. 8, after the family returned home from a trip. He then reportedly worked with Brittany to wrap the body and relocate it several weeks later, the prosecutor's office added. His body was found in an advanced state of decomposition, and his death was attributed to the medications, confirmed the Licking County coroner in February. Police later found incriminating texts messages, videos and Google searches from the Coles. "Although David Cole was not involved in his father's death, the evidence shows he wasn't much involved in his father's life," said Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Litle. "We hope that this sentence brings some closure to David Sr.'s remaining family and gives what dignity we can for a helpless victim who was badly mistreated both in life and in death." On Feb. 26, Brittany was convicted of murder, an unclassified felony, and gross abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony. She was received life in prison with parole possibility after serving 16 years. She claimed she'd been helping her father-in-law, who had sunk into a depression and wished to be with his late wife. More: Philo woman who pleaded guilty to trying to run over victims is sentenced to four years Shawn Digity is a reporter for the Zanesville Times Recorder. He can be emailed at sdigity@ or found on X at @ShawnDigityZTR. This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Zanesville man who helped conceal father's body sentenced to 9 years
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Parents who allegedly gave baby a fatal dose of Zzzquil ordered held pending case's outcome
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — The parents of a 13-month-old boy who was given a fatal dose of over-the-counter sleep medicine were ordered held in custody pending trial. Peoria County Circuit Judge Steve Kouri said Tasheaunna R. Williams, 26, and Nausicca Thomas, 27, were both to be held at the county jail pending the outcome of allegations of first-degree murder regarding the death of Hezekiah Williams in late December. Despite the fact that both women have largely abided by conditions outlined more than a month ago when they were initially charged with a lesser charge of aggravated battery, the judge found they presented a risk to the community. They are accused of giving the boy 40ml of Zzzquil and then leaving him alone for two hours. An adult dose is 30ml, and Assistant State's Attorney Deborah Shelby noted that makers of the medication state on their packing that it should not be given to anyone under 12. Women accused of giving Zzzquil to infant set for late March trial Both women face up to 100 years in prison, well more than the normal maximum of 60 years behind bars. That's because of the age of the child. Shelby told Kouri that officials learned of the child in mid-December when he was brought to an area hospital after he was found unresponsive at his home. Initially, the parents were charged with lesser charges and not murder, the prosecutor said, because they didn't have results from the toxicology tests or the autopsy. Hezekiah Williams also showed signs of severe malnourishment, poorly healing wounds, bruising and bleeding diaper rash, according to the court documents. In short, according to the court record, Hezekiah was in a coma and on a ventilator when police arrived. He was on life support for several days before dying on Dec. 27, 2024. During the hearing, Kouri also canceled the women's trial for later this month. Those dates were never really seriously considered given the nature of the counts and the gravity of the possible sentence. The judge moved the trial back to mid-May. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Yahoo
Women accused of giving Zzzquil to infant set for late March trial
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Two women, accused of murder in connection with the death of a 13-month-old boy, are scheduled for trial in late March. Tasheaunna R. Williams, 26, and Nausicca Thomas, 27, both pleaded not guilty and had their cases set for a March 31 jury trial. That date will likely be continued given the gravity of the charges — first-degree murder and aggravated battery . They are accused of giving Williams' son, Hezekiah, an 'excessive dose' of the sleep aid, ZzzQuil. Hezekiah Williams also showed signs of severe malnourishment, poorly healing wounds, bruising and bleeding diaper rash, when he was brought to the hospital on Dec. 18, 2024. Shortly afterwards, he was in a coma and on a ventilator. The baby was on life support for several days before dying on Dec. 27, 2024. Neither woman spoke much during the hearings, which lasted about three minutes. Both were clad a jumpsuit of a Peoria County Jail and both appeared in court by way of video conferencing from the jail. They face at least 20 years and possibly up to 100 years behind bars. That's more than the normal range for murder due to the age of the child. 'A baby from a concentration camp': doctor says of baby allegedly given Zzzquil Currently, they are at the jail after being arrested earlier this week. They had been initially charged with just aggravated battery and released from custody on pretrial release. However, after the new charges, they were arrested. Peoria County prosecutors have asked a judge to hold them pending the outcome of their case. That hearing will take place Thursday, March 6. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Yahoo
Woman sentenced to life in prison for murder of father-in-law; husband awaits day in court
ZANESVILLE ‒ Less than a week after her arrest, a Zanesville woman's arraignment was immediately followed by a plea hearing and a maximum sentencing. Brittany Lee Cole, 37, recently pleaded guilty and was convicted of murder, an unclassified felony, and gross abuse of a corpse, a fifth-degree felony, after her father-in-law's deceased body was found in a shed on her property. She was sentenced to life in prison, with only the possibility of parole after serving 16 years, matching a joint recommendation between assistant prosecuting attorney John Litle, and defense attorney Keith Edwards. On Feb. 10, the Zanesville Police Department went to a Somers Street residence belonging to Cole. Authorities surveyed the property and found the body of David Cole Sr., 80, wrapped in a tarp and plastic mattress cover in the shed. The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition, confirmed the Licking County coroner. Cole Sr.'s cause of death was initially believed to be of natural causes, but the investigation revealed it was a deadly combination of medications. On Dec. 24, Cole had administered a first dose of Zzzquil and Tylenol No. 3, a combination of acetaminophen and codeine, to her father-in-law. She gave him a second dosage of both drugs about 90 minutes later, after he complained of pain. She went to bed and found him deceased the next day. On Dec. 26, Cole and her family departed on a family trip to Orlando until Jan. 1. It wasn't until Jan. 8 that the case's co-defendant and Cole's husband, David Ralph Cole Jr., 44, discovered the body in a bedroom. The two worked together to wrap and move it into the shed. During Zanesville police's investigation, incriminating texts messages, video footage and Google searches were found. "Evidence included camera footage from Jan. 8 showing (Cole) Jr. finding the body, text messages about the smell and disposal plans, and Brittany's Dec. 25 Google search, 'when someone dies how long does it take for the body to start smelling,'" noted an announcement from the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office. Both Coles were arrested and indicted on Feb. 20. Brittany confessed on Feb. 13. During her court appearance, Litle said there were financial motives to masking Cole Sr.'s death. He received more than $2,000 in monthly Social Security deposits, which were managed by Cole Jr. as his father's power of attorney. At least two payments of $200, for December and January, were transferred to Brittany via Cash App for utility bills and household expenses. Brittany did not originally say anything on her behalf during sentencing. When questioned by Judge Gerald Anderson II, she believed she was helping Cole Sr., who had many times been depressed, talked of suicide, and yearned to be with his late wife, she said. More: Sheriff: Muskingum University shooting scare could have been fueled by social media rumors Brittany's two sentences are running consecutively. Anderson handed her the 12-month maximum for gross abuse of a corpse, which increased the earliest parole possibility from 15 years to 16. Post-release control was not relevant in this case, Anderson added. If Cole is released, it would be on parole. Brittany will be required to register as a violent offender annually for 10 years, if she is released on parole. She was given credit for seven days served and had been held in the Muskingum County Jail on a $1 million bond. She had no prior criminal record. Cole Jr. is detained in the Muskingum County Jail but on a $500,000 bond. His case is pending, but he was initially charged with six felonies, including gross abuse of corpse, tampering with evidence (two counts), endangering children, obstructing justice, and possessing criminal tools. His arraignment is not scheduled yet. Shawn Digity is a reporter for the Zanesville Times Recorder. He can be emailed at sdigity@ or found on X at @ShawnDigityZTR. This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Zanesville woman gets life sentence after pleading guilty to murder
