ETHAN JAMES CONNER - 21 Months - Southaven (I-55 at TN border) MS

Couple indicted in toddler's death

Mom, boyfriend accused of battery/abuse, face capital murder charges


A Southaven mother and her boyfriend have been indicted by a grand jury, accused of killing the woman's toddler son.

Christina Maria Sierra, 22, and Zachary Cozart, 24, were indicted
last week on capital murder charges in the death of 21-month-old Ethan James Conner.

The toddler died July 1 at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center after
being transferred from Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto in Southaven.

The Shelby County Medical Examiner completed the autopsy report in
November; it revealed the boy died from blunt force trauma to the head,
and his death was ruled a homicide, said DeSoto County Coroner Jeff Pounders.

Pounders said he received the final written autopsy report on the
child's death a few weeks ago, but it is not unusual for forensics
experts to take several months to complete the report in a child's death.

Pounders said that after an investigation, the evidence was presented
to the DeSoto County grand jury, and Sierra and Cozart were indicted on
capital murder charges on Jan. 7. The couple are accused of felonious
abuse/battery that resulted in the child's death, according to the
indictment.

The couple turned themselves in to the DeSoto County Sheriff's Department on Jan. 13.

Since then, both have posted $150,000 bonds and have been released.
Circuit Judge Gerald Chatham ordered the couple to wear electronic
monitoring bracelets until their case goes to trial on May 16.

Defense attorneys Steve Farese and Leslie Ballin have been hired by Sierra's family to represent her in the case.

Farese said Thursday they are just delving into the case, but
prosecutors are alleging that Sierra and Cozart were the only people
around the child at the time of the injury.

Farese said his client was in the shower on June 25 when Cozart told
her something was wrong with her son. He said she got out of the shower
and the child was unresponsive. The boy was rushed to Baptist-DeSoto
then transferred to Le Bonheur in Memphis.

"Of course, my client is extremely upset that her child is dead and
that she is being accused of doing something to someone she loved more
than anything in the world," Farese said.

Cozart is being represented by Memphis attorney James Marty and Southaven attorney Bill Travis.

Sierra and Cozart have no previous criminal records. Sierra worked at
a children's clothing store in Collierville, and Cozart worked at a
manufacturing plant.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/jan/20/couple-indicted-in-toddlers-death/

Poster's Note: Mom's obviously standing by her boyfriend so she's going down with him. Clearly her lawyer is mistaken when he said she loved her son more than anything in the world. She loved her boyfriend more.

I'm not certain (after reading your comment) if you actually researched any of your information or just read the article in the local newspaper, but it certainly seems as if we can't believe everything we read in the newspaper, or hear on the news, or read in a blog.

There is NOTHING more heartbreaking and painful than losing a child (I know this from personal experience).....but to also have people judge the parents (without all of the facts) is truly NOT JUSTICE! Just because someone gets charged with a crime certainly doesn't mean they commited the crime; isn't that why we have a system that is supposed to assume our innocence until proven guilty? I would imagine most people assume that if the authorities charge you with a crime, they must have plenty of evidence to support the charge, but that simply is NOT the case. It's really quite scary to think that (God forbid) a horrible tragedy such as this one could happen to someone you know, or to someone your close to, or to you.

I pray (for Ethan and all of the innocent angels we have lost), that justice be found, but in the right place.....I pray that the experts (who hold the future of so many in their hands) use much diligence in their work......I pray the authorities also do their very best to find out what REALLY happened......even if what was assumed to be true is not.

I, too, will never be able to comprehend how a mother could chose her boyfriend (OR ANYONE) over her child, but are you qualified to make the judgement you made that this young mother chose the boyfriend over her beautiful child? Are you qualified to determine anyone's guilt or innocence based on what you read in the newspaper?

We simply MUST protect those who cannot protect themselves, but where do we draw the line? Perhaps we, as citizens of this great nation, can take more time out of our busy schedules to learn more about how Child Protective Services works; if we don't like what we learn, then it's up to us to change the system (by becoming advocates for change, or by electing officials who are qualified for the jobs they are elected to do, or by simply reaching out to those in need of help). I, for one, want our children to live in a free and, most of all, SAFE world. But I am not prepared to judge ANYONE without knowing what really happened.

One thing I am sure of (based on my horrible experience of the death of my child), is that experts (doctors, nurses, genetic scientists, police, etc.) all base their opinions on the experience they have in a certain area. It is only natural that these "experts" will have varying opinions, and one thing I feel strongly about is that there is much still to be learned about the human body.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post.....I hope it will help people to think twice before making such horrible judgements about others. I know I had to learn the hard way that you never know how you will react to tragedy until it happens to you or someone you love. I pray you never have to find out how it feels. Keep your children safe, and most importantly, love your children every minute of every day, because life can be so unfair (and way too short).

Welcome Allen and we welcome your thoughts and opinions.
Certainly we share in your tragic loss and hope that, with time, you will be able to soothe just some of the hurt that you feel.
In the NewsRooms, we post stories from MSM and Pressers from LE. They get their info from witnesses, victims and the accused as well.
I do not think any of us make a presumption of guilt without reasonable cause. We do invite commentary and personal insights as we try and become a better, safer, more responsible world for the children.