Opinion ID: 2630325
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: ¶ 1 Following a jury trial, Jennete Killpack (Killpack) was convicted of child abuse homicide, a second degree felony, in violation of Utah Code section 76-5-208 (the child abuse homicide statute). She raises five issues on appeal: 1. Whether the trial court properly instructed the jury regarding the meaning of acting recklessly as the term is used in the child abuse homicide statute; 2. Whether the trial court properly rejected Killpack's proposed jury instructions that child abuse homicide cannot result from injuries inflicted by a parent if those injuries are caused by the parent's (a) reasonable child care choices or (b) reasonable treatment of the child's medical condition; 3. Whether the trial court properly admitted evidence of Killpack's prior bad acts under rule 404(b) of the Utah Rules of Evidence; 4. Whether the trial court committed cumulative error warranting the reversal of Killpack's conviction; and 5. Whether the trial court abused its discretion during sentencing by refusing to grant Killpack's request for probation. ¶ 2 For the reasons detailed below, we affirm Killpack's conviction and sentence. We will address each of the issues in the order listed above.