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WARREN — A woman con victed of intentionally killing her 6-year-old daughter by driving over her was sen tenced to 20 years to life in prison. Sherry Marie Delker, 27, of Austintown, pleaded no con test to aggravated murder on Thursday and was sentenced in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. She withdrew her earlier plea of innocent by reason of insanity. First-grader Samantha Mae Martin died March 29, hours after her chest was crushed under the wheels of her mother’s Chevrolet Lumina. Trumbull County Prosecu tor Dennis Watkins had agreed not to seek the death penalty in return for a guilty plea and promise not to appeal. But Delker refused to say “guilty” to the murder charge before Judge John M. Stuard. “Once she wouldn't plead guilty, when she pleaded no contest and waived her right to appeal, we got the same result,” Watkins said. “It’s a tragic situation, and everybody involved, includ ing the defendant, is a vic tim,” said attorney Anthony Consoldane, of the Ohio Pub lic Defender’s Commission, which represented Delker. Three mental health experts, including one hired by the prosecution, last week said Delker suffers from mental disorders but agreed she was competent to stand trial. Watkins said Delker told investigators, “I ran my baby over ... I sent her to heaven.” Delker also told police she wanted “to stop the abuse” and that she thought her boyfriend wouldn’t marry her if she had children.
Newspaper Details
Ashtabula Star Beacon
Ashtabula, Ohio, US
Sat, Sep 21, 2002
Page 15
Full Page
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USA 28 Aug 2026
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