25-Year-Old Maine Mother Convicted in Daughter's Murder

Leanna Norris was found guilty of drugging her daughter, suffocating her with duct tape and leaving her body in a car near her parents' home in Stetson.

A judge found a Maine mother guilty of murdering her 2-and-a-half-year-old daughter, reports NECN affiliate WCSH.

Twenty-five-year-old Leanna Norris is convicted of drugging her daughter, Loh Grenda, with allergy medicine, suffocating her with duct tape and leaving her body in a car near her parents' home in Stetson.

Norris pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and chose to have her verdict issued by a judge. During the trial, defense attorney Martha Harris claimed her client suffered a mental break down after the relationship with Loh's father fell apart. The prosecution disagreed with the insanity plea, although they agreed Norris did suffer from severe depression.

The prosecution pointed to the evidence that they claimed proved Norris planned the murder and knew what she was doing, which included gathering materials to kill her daughter and then herself and turning off her cell phone.

The judge issued her verdict Monday, about a month after the trial ended.

Norris had stated previous to the murder in June 2013 that if she committed suicide, she did not want Loh to live with her father, Michael Grenda. Norris is also said to have told authorities she did not want Loh to have another mother who did not put her first.

That trial lasted for six days in late October and November. Justice Ann Murray said that Norris knew what she was doing was wrong at the time of the murder.

No date has been set yet for sentencing.

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