MARISSA BURNETTE - 8 Months (2008) Bedford (W of Lynchburg) VA

More than two years after her daughter's death, a Bedford mother will go on trial for her alleged role in the incident. A judge has set March 15 as the date for Cecilia Burnette's jury trial in Bedford Circuit Court. Burnette is facing second degree murder and felony child abuse charges for the death of her eight-month-old daughter, Marissa.The child died from what prosecutors call blunt force trauma in September 2008. Lynchburg's
Commonwealth's Attorney's office will prosecute the case. Bedford
Commonwealth's Attorney Randy Krantz recused himself because someone in
his office is related to a key witness for the prosecution.

BACKGROUND INFO.

Investigation into Bedford baby's death goes on after mother's arrest

Published: October 15, 2009


Despite the passage of a year and the arrest of a mother, the investigation into a baby girl’s death remains ongoing.

The mother of the baby, Cecilia Leigh Burnette, 25, of Bedford, was arrested last week and charged with second-degree murder and felony child abuse in the September 2008 death of eight-month-old Marissa Burnette, according to a news release from the Bedford City Police Department.

The investigation into the baby’s death was extensive and challenging, said Bedford Police Chief Jim Day on Wednesday.

He said it took nearly a year to charge Burnette because of the complicated nature of Marissa’s autopsy. Also, witnesses had to be interviewed multiple times and some weren’t cooperative, he said, which resulted in a special grand jury that issued a direct indictment charging the mother.

“This is still under investigation,” Day said. “We are still talking to people and I don’t want to compromise the investigation. … We are still trying to tie up loose ends.”

Burnette is being held in the Blue Ridge Regional Jail without bond.

Marissa died of blunt force trauma to the head, according to autopsy results from the Medical Examiner’s Office in Roanoke.

Officers responded to a house at 1114 Maiden Lane in Bedford on Sept. 2, 2008, to check on a possible injury to a child.

Marissa was initially transported to Bedford Memorial Hospital, and then taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The death was ruled a homicide in December 2008.

Day two of the jury trial of a Bedford woman who authorities say
caused the death of her 8-month-old daughter through "abusive head
trauma" focused on inconsistent statements and admitted lies.
The trial of Cecilia Burnette, 26, began Tuesday in Bedford Circuit
Court and continued Wednesday. Burnette is charged with second-degree
murder and felony child abuse in connection with the death of daughter
Marissa Burnette Davis in early September 2008.
Prosecutors highlighted defendant Cecilia Burnette's changing
accounts about what happened Sept. 2, 2008, the day Marissa stopped
breathing and was later found by doctors to have no brain activity. The
child was formally declared brain-dead and taken off life support two
days later.
Separately, during a prolonged cross-examination of Joshua A. Cheek,
24, Burnette's boyfriend at the time of the infant's death, defense
attorney Hilary Griffith picked apart some of Cheek's testimony.
He frequently responded to Griffith's questions by saying, "I don't
know" or "I don't remember." And while on the stand Wednesday, Cheek
changed his account at least twice when Griffith refreshed his memory
about previous statements or testimony.
Cheek was alone with Marissa Davis during portions of Sept. 2, 2008,
and eventually called 911 after the child stopped breathing.
Griffith cited phone records that showed Cheek made six phone calls
that day before calling 911. She read the numbers to him, and Cheek said
he could not identify the first number on the list.
Cheek acknowledged that police investigators once told him he might
face murder charges in connection with Marissa's death. He subsequently
hired a lawyer.
For the prosecution, Mike Doucette, Lynchburg commonwealth's
attorney, emphasized Burnette repeatedly lied to police investigators,
doctors, a child protective services worker and others about the
circumstances and events of Sept. 2.
Burnette later admitted lying about many of those events and
circumstances. She said she did so to avoid losing custody of Marissa to
the child's biological father, Adam Davis, 27. She said Cheek's felony
record was the source of her fear.
More than a year later, on Oct. 9, 2009, Burnette was arrested and
charged with second-degree murder and felony child abuse. She was
interviewed again by Bedford police Investigator Timothy Stanley.
And, for the first time, according to interview records, Burnette
cited two previously unreported occasions when Marissa had bumped her
head on Sept. 2 -- once on a bathroom sink in a doctor's office and a
second time on a changing table. Burnette had taken Marissa to a family
physician in Bedford that morning because the child seemed lethargic,
was congested and running a fever.
The physician, by her own testimony Tuesday, determined then that the
infant had an upper respiratory infection and an ear infection and
prescribed an antibiotic.
In his interview with the defendant, Stanley told Burnette that Cheek
might have been facing criminal charges for Marissa's death but that
Cheek had been much more truthful from the beginning than Burnette.
"Right now, I could go get some charges against Josh," Stanley said during his questioning, adding, "but [Cheek] never lied."
Throughout the investigation, according to testimony, Burnette
frequently said she could not picture Cheek being violent with her
daughter. But Burnette did express suspicion about Cheek's younger
brother, Trevor, who she said had spent time with the child and Josh
Cheek on Sept. 1, the day before Marissa began to die.
Dr. Donald Kees, a pediatric specialist with Carilion Roanoke
Memorial Hospital, and a pediatric abuse expert both testified Tuesday
that the nature of the traumatic brain injuries suffered by Marissa
could not help authorities identify who had violently shaken the infant
or otherwise caused the lethal brain damage. On Wednesday, Dr. Paul
Benson, a state medical examiner, made a similar observation when
questioned by the defense.
Prosecutors have not yet cited physical evidence that directly ties
Burnette to Marissa Davis' death. But they have called witnesses whose
testimony suggested Burnette was an indifferent mother.
The trial continues today in Bedford Circuit Court.

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/280247

The Obituary

Marissa Anne Burnette-Davis, 8 1/2 month old daughter of Adam Douglass Davis and Cecilia Leigh Burnette, of Bedford, passed away Thursday, September 4, 2008, at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. She was born on Monday, December 10, 2007, in Bedford, Va. In addition to her mother and father, she is survived by her paternal grandmother, Cindy Davis; maternal grandmother, Robin Lambert and husband, Tommy; maternal grandfather, Michael Burnette and wife, Karen; maternal great-grandmother, Mary Terry; paternal greatgrandmother, Betty Ferguson; paternal great-grandfather, Kermit Davis; paternal greatgreat-grandmother, Pearl Swick; her aunts and uncles, Mary Beth Sumner and husband, Jason, Amy Lynn Russell and husband, John, Samuel K. Davis, David Burnette, Tony Terry and wife, Sherrie and Mark Terry; and numerous cousins. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at the graveside at Greenwood Cemetery with the Rev. Patrick Neff and the Rev. Christopher Ashman officiating. Arrangements by Updike Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Bedford, Va.
Published in the Roanoke Times from 9/8/2008 - 9/10/2008


Marissa Anne
Burnette-Davis

Thanks Joanie. What a beautiful precious baby.

BEDFORD, VA --

A judge upholds the conviction against a Bedford mother after the death of her baby.
A jury found Cecelia Burnette guilty of felony child abuse or neglect in March. Burnette was sentenced to 8 years in prison and a $75,000 fine last month.
Wednesday, Burnette's attorney asked the court to throw out the verdict. The defense argued the prosecution presented insufficient evidence.
The judge denied the defense motion. Burnette's attorney now plans to appeal.
Burnette, who is pregnant, is currently being held at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail's Bedford facility.
Marissa Burnette
died in September 2008 from blunt force trauma. She was 8 months old.
The jury acquitted her mother of a second degree murder charge.
http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/jun/08/judge-upholds-conviction-bedford-mother-baby-death-ar-1094886/

Joanie wrote:The Obituary

Marissa Anne Burnette-Davis, 8 1/2 month old daughter of Adam Douglass Davis and Cecilia Leigh Burnette, of Bedford, passed away Thursday, September 4, 2008, at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital. She was born on Monday, December 10, 2007, in Bedford, Va. In addition to her mother and father, she is survived by her paternal grandmother, Cindy Davis; maternal grandmother, Robin Lambert and husband, Tommy; maternal grandfather, Michael Burnette and wife, Karen; maternal great-grandmother, Mary Terry; paternal greatgrandmother, Betty Ferguson; paternal great-grandfather, Kermit Davis; paternal greatgreat-grandmother, Pearl Swick; her aunts and uncles, Mary Beth Sumner and husband, Jason, Amy Lynn Russell and husband, John, Samuel K. Davis, David Burnette, Tony Terry and wife, Sherrie and Mark Terry; and numerous cousins. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at the graveside at Greenwood Cemetery with the Rev. Patrick Neff and the Rev. Christopher Ashman officiating. Arrangements by Updike Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Bedford, Va.
Published in the Roanoke Times from 9/8/2008 - 9/10/2008


Marissa Anne
Burnette-Davis

What a precious, darling, beautiful little baby.

Thank you Joanie for posting this, and for caring.

TomTerrific0420 wrote:BEDFORD, VA --

A judge upholds the conviction against a Bedford mother after the death of her baby.
A jury found Cecelia Burnette guilty of felony child abuse or neglect in March. Burnette was sentenced to 8 years in prison and a $75,000 fine last month.
Wednesday, Burnette's attorney asked the court to throw out the verdict. The defense argued the prosecution presented insufficient evidence.
The judge denied the defense motion. Burnette's attorney now plans to appeal.
Burnette, who is pregnant, is currently being held at the Blue Ridge Regional Jail's Bedford facility.
Marissa Burnette
died in September 2008 from blunt force trauma. She was 8 months old.
The jury acquitted her mother of a second degree murder charge.
http://www2.wsls.com/news/2011/jun/08/judge-upholds-conviction-bedford-mother-baby-death-ar-1094886/

I disagree with this verdict, mainly because of the light sentence. This woman needs to be in a cage for at least 30 years, if not until the end of her days.

and i hope they take this newest baby away from her as soon as it is born!!

I agree that the sentence was way too light. Mother should have gotten life for taking the life of this sweet baby.

Also, how did the murdered get pregnance? It sounded like she's been in prison for at least a year so how would she get pregnant? And why does any person with a brain get pregnant when they are facing murder charges? Why can't they wait until they know they are free and able to raise the child. Just proves how stupid they are.