Mother Sentenced to 40 Years For Brutally Murdering Baby

Thank you for reading Baltimore Witness.
Consider making a donation to help us continue our mission.

Aurielle Montgomery pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of her one-year-old infant child, Nyemia Gilliard, before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jennifer B. Schiffer on July 16.

Montgomery, 24, also initially faced various counts of first- and second-degree child abuse.

According to charging documents, on Oct. 4, 2022, Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officers responded to the 2700 block of Ellicott Drive for a report of a non-responsive baby.

Montgomery is believed to have put Gilliard to sleep in her bedroom the night before, on Oct. 3, 2022. Montgomery’s boyfriend, who is not Gilliard’s father, allegedly found the infant unconscious later that night. She was found on her back with her legs bent under her, unresponsive and cold to the touch.

Despite lifesaving measures, medics pronounced Gilliard deceased on the scene. Medical examiners observed multiple points of internal bleeding on Gilliard’s body, including broken ribs and a damaged kidney. The manner of her death was determined to be homicide by means of multiple traumatic injuries.

Gilliard’s family spoke with tears in their eyes and through pained sobs as they spoke about the infant’s death. One of Gilliard’s grandmothers claimed she would never forget the incident, and another called it a tragic loss. Gilliard’s grandfather was at a loss for words, saying he failed Gilliard and asking what could even be said about the death of his grandchild.

The prosecution requested the highest possible sentence for Montgomery under the guidelines, noting she already had several previous charges dropped. They pointed to the presence of numerous drugs within the home, including but not limited to marijuana and synthetic marijuana. They concluded by claiming rehabilitation is only possible if the defendant wants to be reformed.

Attorney Alex Leikus defended Montgomery by describing her difficult life history and her past as an abuse victim to several boyfriends. Leikus avowed Montgomery has accepted responsibility in Gilliard’s death, and claimed she will live the rest of her life in a state of repentance.

Judge Schiffer expressed disgust at the severity of Gilliard’s injuries, and said that while any parent can understand being exhausted from childcare, their primary responsibility lies with protecting their children.

Saying this, Judge Schiffer sentenced Montgomery to 40 years, suspending all but 22, to be followed by five years of supervised probation upon release. Montgomery will also be required to attend substance abuse treatment and an intervention program for child abusers.