In th e S u p re m e Co u rt o f Ge o rg ia

De c id e d : F e b ru a ry 1 6 , 2 0 1 5

S 1 4 A1 7 0 5 . CORVI v

. THE S TATE.

BENHAM, Ju stic e

.

Ap p e lla n t Ma rta Co rv i a

p p e a ls h e r c o n v ic tio n s fo r c ru e lty to c h ild re n in

th e se c o n d d e g re e a n d fo r re c k le s s c o n d u c t re la te d to th e d ro wn in g d e a th s o f

S o p h ia Ju a re z a n d M ia P e n oy e r. 1 On a p pe a l, ap p e lla n t c ha lle n g e s th e tria l

c o u rt’s fa ilu re to q u a sh th e in d ic tm e n t a s b e in g vo id fo r v a g u e n e s s a s a p p lie d

a n d c h a lle ng e s th e su ffic ie n c y o f th e e vid e n c e

. F o r th e re a so ns se t fo rth h e re in

,

we re v e rse

.

1 The deaths occurred on J une 10, 2012. On May 21, 2013, a Paulding County g rand j ury

r e t u r n ed a true bill of indictment charg ing appellant with two counts of c ruelty to children i n t h e

second deg ree and two counts of reckless conduct. Appellant was tried before a jury f rom J une 17,

2013, to J une 20, 2013. The jury returned verdicts o f g uilty on all charg e s listed in the indictment.

On J uly 2, 2013, the trial court sentenced appellant to 10 y ears for each c ount of cruelty to children

in the second deg ree to be served consecutively a s to each other and sentenced her to twelve months

for each count of reckless c onduct to be served concurrently a s to each other and concurrently as to

the first count o f c ruelty to children in the second deg r e e. The trial court only r equired appellant to

serve one y ear of her total twenty -y ear sentence in jail and g ave h er one y ear and one month of credit

for time already served. The remainder of her sentence was to be served on probation. Appellant

moved for a new trial on J une 27, 2013, the same date as the sentencing hearing

, and filed a duplicate

motion for new trial on J anuary 9, 2014. The trial court held a hearing on the motion for new trial

on J anuary 7, 2014, and issued an order deny ing the motion on J a nuary 10, 2014. Appellant filed

a timely notice of appeal on J anuary 22, 2014, and the case was doc k e ted to the September 2014

Term of this Court. The case was orally arg ued on November 7, 2014.Th e e v id e n c e in th e lig h t m o st fa v o ra b le to th e v e rd ic t sh o ws th a t in Ap ril

2 0 1 2, a p p e lla nt ca me t o liv e with Ed u a rd o a n d S a u n d ra Ju a re z a nd th e ir th re e

c h ild re n

. Ap p e lla n t a

n d th e Ju a re z e s h a d a n in fo rm a l arra n g e m e nt wh e re b y

a p p e lla n t wo u ld lo o k a fte r t h e Ju a re z c h ild re n

, in p a rtic u la r fiv e -y e a r-o ld

S o p h ia

, in e x c h a n g e fo r ro o m a n d b o a rd

. Ap p e lla n t a lso c o ok e d a nd d id so m e

c le a n in g

.

On Ju n e 9

, 2 0 1 2

, a

p p e lla n t’s fiv e -y e a r-o ld g ra n d d a u g h te r Mia c a m e o v e r

to sp e n d th e n ig h t a n d p l a y with S o p h ia

. Be c a u se th e n e xt d a y wa s ra in y

,

a p p e lla n t to ld th e g irls th e y c o u ld n o t go swim m in g in th e b a c k y a rd p o o l a n d so

th e g irls p la y e d in sid e th e ho u se

. At a ro u n d n o o n

, Mr. an d Mrs. Ju a re z a n d th e ir

y o u ng e r so n le ft th e h o u se to g o to th e g ro c e ry sto re

. Ap p e lla n t wa s le ft in

c h a rg e o f th e two g irls a n d th e Ju a re z ’s o ld e r so n

, w h o wa s th irte e n a t th e tim e

.

Wh e n th e th re e Ju a re z e s le ft th e ho u se

, a p p e lla nt b e g a n c le a n in g th e h a rd wo o d

flo o rs o n th e m a in le v e l o f th e tri-le ve l h ou se

. Wh ile c le a n in g

, th e g irls we re

p la y in g in S o p h ia ’s ro o m o n th e to p le v e l o f th e h o u se an d th e o ld e r Ju a re z so n

wa s in h is ro o m o n th e m a in le v e l wa tc h in g te le v isio n with h e a d p h o n e s o n a n d

n a p p in g

. At tria l, it w a s e sta b lish e d th a t a p p e lla n t h a d d ia

b e te s an d to o k

m e d ic in e to c o n tro l h e r b lo o d su g a r. A p p e lla n t to ld a u th o ritie s th a t wh ile

2c le a n in g sh e b e c a m e d iz z y d u e to lo w blo o d su g ar a n d so sh e we n t d o wn sta irs

to ta k e he r m e d ic a tio n

. T h e o ld e r so n te stifie d th a t a pp e lla n t to ld h im

th a t sh e

wa s go in g to th e b a se m e n t to ta k e h e r m e d ic in e a n d wo u ld be rig h t b a c k. 2 Afte r

ta k in g he r m e d ic in e

, a

p p e lla n t m a d e a p e rso n a l ph on e c a ll a t a ro u n d 12 :5 5 p .m

.

Wh e n sh e first g o t o n th e p h o n e

, a p p e lla n t v e rb a lly c o nfirm e d th a t th e two g irls

we re still u p sta irs p la y in g in S o p h ia ’s ro o m . Ev id e n c e sh o we d th a t th e p h o n e

c a ll la ste d a

p p ro x im a te ly 4 5 m in u te s. Wh e n t h e th re e Ju a re z e s re tu rn e d fro m

sh o p p in g

, th e y sa w a

p p e lla n t c o m in g o u t o f th e fro n t d o o r o f th e h ou se

, ta lk in g

o n th e p h o n e a nd h o ld in g a so d a

. 3 Mr. Ju a re z a sk e d wh e re S o p hia wa s a n d

a p p e lla n t re p lie d th a t th e g irls we re u p sta irs in S o p h ia ’s ro om ; h o we v e r, wh e n

th e f a m i ly lo ok e d

, th e g irls we re n o t a ny wh e re in sid e th e h o u se

. Th e fa m ily

e v e n tu a lly fo u n d th e g irls in th e b a c k y a rd po o l. Th e girls we re n o t b re a th in g

,

fe lt c o ld to th e to uc h

, a n d w e r e b l u e in c o lo r. Th e fa m ily c a lle d 9 1 1 a t

a p p ro x im a te ly 1 :4 1 p .m

. De sp ite th e e ffo rts o f th e fa m ily

, first re sp o nd e rs, a n d

h o sp ita l p e rso n n e l, th e c h ild re n c o u ld n o t b e re v iv e d

.

2 The older son testified that he heard n othing else g o i ng on in the h ouse between the time

appellant said she was g oing downstairs and the time his family members arrived back at the house.

3 Appellant’s treating p hy sician testified that o n e of the w ay s to control low blood sug ar was

to drink a beverag e with hig h sug a r content.

31

. Ap p e lla n t a lle ge s t h e t r i a l c o u rt e rre d w h e n it fa ile d to g ra n t h e r

m o tio n fo r a

d ire c te d v e rd ic t o n th e g ro u n d th a t th e e v id e n c e wa s in su ffic ie n t.

In re g a r d t o t h e c h a rg e s o f c ru e lty to c h ild re n in th e se c o n d d e g re e

, th e

in d ic tm e n t a lle g e d th a t a

p p e lla n t “ d id c a

u se [th e c h ild re n ] c ru e l a n d e x c e ssiv e

p h y sic a l p a in b y fa ilin g to re a s o n a b ly su p e rv ise sa id [c h ild re n

. ] ” 4 As to th e

c o u n ts o f re c k le ss c o n d u c t, th e in d ic tm e n t a lle g e d a p p e lla n t:

u n la wfu lly d id e n d a n g e r th e b o d ily sa fe ty o f [th e c h ild re n ] b y

c o n sc io usly d isre ga rd in g th e su b sta n tia l a n d u n ju stifia b le risk th a t

h e r o m issio n a n d fa ilu r e to re a so n a bly su p e rv ise [th e c hild re n ]

...wo u ld c a

u se ha rm to a n d e n d a n ge r th e sa fe ty o f sa id [c hild re n ]

a n d th e d i s re g a rd c on stitu te d a g ro ss d e v ia tio n o f th e sta n d a rd o f

c a re wh ic h a

re a so n a b le p e rso n wo u ld e xe rc ise

.... 5

Bo th c ru e lty to c h ild re n in th e s e c o n d d e gre e an d re c k le ss c o n d u c t a re c rim e s

in v o lv in g c rim in a l n e g lig e nc e

. S e e Ka in v. S ta te

, 2 8 7 G a

. Ap p

. 4 5 (1 ) (6 5 0

S E2 d 7 4 9 ) (2 0 0 7 ). “ C rim in a l n e g l i g e n c e is a n a c t o r fa ilu re to a c t wh ic h

d e m o n stra te s a willfu l, w a n to n

, o r re c kle ss disre g a rd fo r th e sa fe ty o f o th e rs

4 S e e O CGA § 16-5-70 (c) which provides: “Any person commits the offense of cru e l t y t o

children in the second deg ree when such person with criminal neg lig ence causes a child under the

ag e of 18 cruel or ex cessive phy sical or mental pain.”

5 See OCGA § 16-5-60 (b) which provide s : “ A p e r son who causes b odily harm to or

e n d an ge r s the bodily safety of another person by consciously disreg arding a substantial an d

unjustifiable risk that h is act o r omission will cause harm or endang er the safety of the other person

and the disreg ard constitutes a g ross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person

would ex ercise in the situation is g uilty of a misdemeanor.”

4wh o m ig h t re a so n a bly b e e x p e c te d to b e in

ju re d th e re b y .” OCGA § 1 6 -2 -1 (b ).

In th is c a se

, th e S ta te d id n o t m e e t its b u rd e n o f s h o win g a p p e lla n t’s c o n d u c t

wh ile th e c h ild re n we re u n d e r h e r s u p e r v i sio n wa s so willfu l, wa n to n

, o r

re c k le ss a s to c o n stitu te c rim in a l ne g lig e n c e su p p o rtin g th e c rim e s a lle g e d in th e

in d ic tm e n t.

Ba se d o n th e e vid e n c e

, it a p p e a rs th e g irls le ft th e up sta irs b e d ro o m a n d

we n t to th e p o o l a t so m e p o in t wh ile a p pe lla n t w a s o n th e p h o n e

. Th e le a d

in v e stig a to r in th is c a s e t e s tifie d th a t h e d e c id e d to swe a r o u t a wa rra n t fo r

a p p e lla n t’s a

rre st w h e n h e l e a r n e d sh e wa s o n th e p h o n e fo r 4 5 m in u te s. Ye t

th e re w a s n o e v id e nc e sh owin g th a t th e le n g t h o f tim e a pp e lla n t wa s o n h e r

p h o ne c a ll w o u ld h a v e m a de a d iffe re n c e in th e c h ild re n’s d e a th s. Th e o n ly

tim e -fra m e e sta b lish e d fo r th e d ro wn in g t o h a v e o c c u rre d wa s b e twe e n 1 2 :5 5

p .m

. w h e n a

p p e lla n t in itia te d h e r p h on e c a ll a n d 1 :4 1 p .m

. wh e n th e fa m ily

c a lle d 9 1 1

. It wa s u n k n o wn w h e n th e g irls le ft th e u p sta irs b e dro o m an d it wa s

u n k no wn h o w lo n g th e y h a d b e e n in th e po o l wh e n fo u nd

. An e x p e rt te stifie d

th a t a c h ild c ou ld d ro wn in a s little a s fo u r to six m in u te s o nc e su b m e rg e d

.

Th u s, it c a n n o t b e sa id th a t ta k in g a 4 5-m in u te p h o n e c a ll in itse lf c o n stitu te d a

fa ilu re to re a so na

b ly su p e rv ise th e c h ild re n

.

5Also

, th is is n o t a c a se wh e re a c are ta k e r le ft sm a ll c h ild re n un a tte n d e d in

a p oo l o r a sim ila r ob

je c tiv e ly d an g e ro u s c irc u m sta nc e

. Cf., Ba ke r v

. S ta te

, 2 8 0

Ga

. 8 2 2 (6 3 3 S E2 d 5 4 1 ) (2 0 0 6 ) (m a n fo u n d g u ilty o f re c k le ss c o n d u c t wh e re h e

le ft a th re e -y e a r-o ld a n d a n in e -m o n th -o ld in sid e th e ho m e a lo n e o n th e se c o n d

flo o r a n d th e in fa n t wa s in h is wa lk e r six fe e t a wa y fro m a d o wn wa rd flig h t o f

sta irs th a t wa s n o t b a rric a d e d fo r sa fe ty ). He re

, a p p e lla n t n e v e r le ft th e c h ild re n

a lo n e in th e h o u se a n d sh e c o n firm e d th a t th e y we re in S op hia ’s ro o m p la y in g

wh e n sh e in itia te d h e r p h o n e c a ll. Ap p e lla n t ha d to ld th e g irls th e y c ou ld n o t g o

swim m in g a n d th e re wa s n o sh o win g th a t th e g irls h a d a p ro pe n sity to d iso b e y

a p p e lla n t o r o th e r a d u lts. Wh ile S o ph ia wa s de sc rib e d a s a g o o d swim m e r, 6 n o

e v id e n c e wa s p re se nte d th a t sh e wo u ld swim in h e r fa m ily ’s p o o l u n su p e rv ise d

o r h a d a p r o p e n s i t y t o d o so

. Also

, n o e v id e nc e wa s p re se n te d th a t a p p e lla n t

ro u tin e ly fa ile d to su pe rv ise Mia

, S o p h ia

, o r a n y o t h e r c h ild in h e r c a re

. Cf.,

Ka in v. S ta te

, su p ra

, 2 8 7 Ga

. Ap p

. a t 4 7 -4 8 (e v id e n c e su ffic ie nt to sh o w

c rim in a l n e g lig e n c e c on stitu tin g re c k le ss c o nd uc t a n d c ru e lty to c hild re n in th e

se c o nd d e g re e wh e re wo m a n re g u la rly a llo we d h e r sm a ll c h il d r e n to ro a m

o u tsid e a lo ne

, w h e re wo m a n re gu la rly le ft th e m h o m e a lo n e

, a nd wh e re th e

6 Mia, on the other hand, could not swim.

6c h ild re n d ro wn e d o n e da y wh ile o u tsid e u n a t t e n d e d ); Re y e s v

. S ta te

, 2 4 2 Ga

.

Ap p

. 1 70 (1 ) (5 2 9 S E2 d 1 9 2 ) (2 0 0 0 ) (e v id e n c e su ffic ie n t to sh o w w o m a n wh o

ro u tin e l y a llo we d he r th re e -y e a r-o ld to tra v e rse a d a n g e ro u s stre e t wh ile

u n a t t e n d e d w a s g u i l ty o f c rim in a l n e g lig e n c e c o n stitu tin g re c kle ss c o n d u c t w h e n

th e c h ild wa s fo u n d u n c on sc io u s a n d m a u le d b y a n a n im a l). Cf. a lso Jo h n so n

v

. S ta te

, 2 92 Ga

. 8 5 6

, 8 5 7 -8 5 8 (1 ) (7 4 2 S E 2 d 4 6 0 ) (2 0 1 3) (e v id e n c e su ffic ie n t

to sh o w wo m a n g u ilty o f c rim in a l n e g lig e n c e c o n stitu tin g c ru e lty to a c h ild in

th e se c o n d d e g re e w h e re c h ild d ie d of in g e stin g pre sc rip tio n m e th a d o n e

, wh e re

it wa s sh o wn th e c h ild h a d fa lle n ill fo r se v e ra l h o u rs b e fo re th e wo m a n so u g h t

m e d ic a l a tte n tio n

, a

n d wh e re it wa s sh o w n th a t th e w o m a n ha d p re v io u sly g iv e n

th e c h ild c ru sh e d p re sc rip tio n Xan a x in h is m ilk ).

Th e fa c tu a l c irc u m sta n c e s o f th is c a se

, e ve n wh e n v ie we d in a lig h t m o st

fa v o ra ble to th e v e rd ic t, d o n o t sh o w a pp e lla n t’s c o n d u c t c on stitu te d c rim in a l

n e g lig e n c e th a t wo u ld su sta in c h a rg e s o f c ru e lty to c h ild re n in th e se c o n d d e gre e

a n d re c kle ss c o n d uc t. Th e e v id e n c e wa s in su ffic ie n t to c on v ic t a nd th e tria l

c o u rt e rre d w h e n it fa ile d to gra n t a p p e lla nt’s m o tio n fo r a d ire c te d ve rd ic t a n d

wh e n it re je c te d th e c la im in its o rd e r d e n y in g a p p e lla n t’s m o tio n fo r n e w tria l.

72

. Be c a u se we fin d th e e v id e n c e wa s in su ffic ie n t to c on v ic t a p p e lla n t fo r

th e c rim e s fo r wh ic h sh e wa s c h a rg e d

, we n e e d n ot re a c h th e vo id fo r v a g u e n e ss

issu e

.

Ju d g m e n t re ve rse d . All th e Ju stic e s c o n c u r.

8