CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A mother with disabilities who entered a no-contest plea to the charge of reckless homicide in the smothering of her 3-month-old infant in 2018 received a 12-year judicial diversion Wednesday morning.
Sarah Scribner, 28, of Clarksville was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury on two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated child abuse. Scribner was originally charged with criminal homicide in April 2018 in the death of her daughter, Annabelle.
Those charges were dismissed with the plea deal.
According to court records, both the state and defense teams agreed to the 12-year judicial diversion mid-sentencing with Scribner serving the sentence under supervision by Community Corrections. After 12 years, Scribner’s reckless homicide charge will be dismissed.
In October, when she entered a no-contest plea deal, Scribner agreed to serve the maximum sentence of 12 years for reckless homicide.
During the plea deal hearing, Scribner’s defense attorney, Daniel Ufford, said there were concerns about diminished capacity regarding Scribner’s mental disorders, which include autism and depression.
He added that she had since been evaluated for competence and that he had no question about her ability to understand the plea.
“We do believe that given the plea agreement, the sentence was the most just outcome that there could be,” Ufford told Clarksville Now, adding that he hopes the situation will bring awareness to cases involving mental disabilities.
“It’s a tragedy, however the criminal justice system was not properly geared to properly address that tragedy,” Ufford said.