The mother of a’mischievous’ two-year-old boy who was killed by his babysitter claimed that she is haunted by her son’s memory and what may have been.
Friday, 42-year-old Lisa Rose Halcrow was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of toddler Connor Horan amid a drug and alcohol-fueled rage.
The child’s mother, Emily Horan, told Toowoomba Supreme Court, “Every day [after his death] I was overwhelmed with such grief.”
“I cannot quit imagining what my life would have been like with Connor.”
Halcrow was babysitting the toddler in Warwick, Queensland, in August 2018 when she murdered him.
While under the influence of alcohol, methylamphetamine, and cannabis, Halcrow felt outraged at the young child.
The court listened He fell down the steps as Halcrow grabbed him by the jaw and slammed the back of his head with such power.
She presented a drastically different account at the time of his death, a lie she maintained for four years until just a few weeks ago, when she admitted to hitting Connor in the head and knocking him down the steps.
Halcroft stated that Connor was eating breakfast at the kitchen table when she left to use the restroom, according to a police walkthrough video aired in court hours after Connor’s murder.
Halcroft asserted that she heard a dog bark, followed by a loud impact, and then walked outside to find Connor at the bottom of the steps.
According to ABC News, Justice David Boddice stated the 42-year-old was a persistent liar with no remorse for her acts.
This walkthrough reveals a deceitful liar without remorse, said Justice Boddice.
Connor sustained blunt force trauma to the head, as well as hemorrhaging of the colon and pancreas, according to forensic evidence.
In her victim impact statement, Ms. Horan referred to her son as a “cheeky little child” who always managed to make her smile.
“My entire life revolved around him,” said Ms. Horan.
Would Connor be speaking at this time? What would Connor be doing? What activities would Connor enjoy?
Debbie Ballard, the grandmother of Connor, made a moving impact statement in court about being the first and final person to ever hold him.
At Ms. Halcrow’s sentencing hearing, Mrs. Ballard previously stated, “the truth will be told.”
The court heard that Halcrow and Ms. Ballard became friends while working at the same nursing home, and that Ms. Ballard offered to babysit for Ms. Horan.
The court was informed that Halcrow had past assault convictions.
As he handed down the punishment, Justice Boddice stated that the 42-year-manslaughter old’s was egregious.
“[Connor] required your care and protection. You did the exact opposite,’ he stated.
You were infatuated with that child and believed you had a parental role; this, in my opinion, is the most egregious aspect of what you finally did to Connor.
Halcrow was given a 10-year prison sentence and labeled a violent offender of the highest severity.
This means she will spend at least eight years incarcerated, or 80 percent of her sentence, before she can seek for parole.
The Toowoomba District Court will also hear an additional charge of grievous bodily harm against Halcrow.