On August 8th, 2007, Amanda’s 7 year old daughter, Adrianna, drowned in their backyard pool.
So how did the state of Florida sentence her to life in prison?
Amanda Lewis is innocent. It’s time to bring her home.
Context
Amanda (28 years old), Adrianna (7 years old), and AJ (6 years old) had recently moved to Esto, FL (pop. 350) to live with Amanda’s boyfriend, Alan, in 2005.
Morning of August 8, 2007
Before the Tragedy
Amanda returned home from working the night shift at a local nursing and rehab center. Adrianna reported not feeling well and throwing up. Both kids were excited to go school supply shopping and played with their toys outside until Amanda was done with chores in the house and ready to take them.
They were particularly instructed not to go in the pool. In order to ensure their safety, the ladder needed to enter the inflatable pool was locked in the shed.
2:39pm, August 8, 2007
Adrianna drowns, Amanda calls 911
AJ had stepped inside to tell his mother that his sister was in the pool. She assumed this meant next to the pool, as the ladder was secured, and told her young son to get Adrianna to come inside the house, as Amanda was on the phone. When he returned again without his sister, she found her daughter not breathing in the pool and called 911.
First responders administered aggressive CPR and airlifted Adrianna to Bay Medical, where she ultimately died at 5:05pm.
Evening of August 8, 2007
After the death of his sister, AJ was not initially interviewed, but picked up by his grandmother’s boyfriend, Chuck. Amanda and Chuck had a tense relationship following Chuck’s unwanted sexual advances which Amanda denied. AJ spent two hours with Chuck before being brought to the police station where he was interviewed in the absence of Child Protective Services. He offers a very vivid narrative of Amanda “dunking Adrianna in the pool” — a story which changes 14 times throughout the course of the investigation.
A Child without Protection
August 9, 2007
Amanda volunteers and passes a polygraph test, denies 10 year plea deal.
February, 2008
An Unfair Trial
Amanda was convicted on two major points: the testimony of her son, AJ, and a faulty medical report.
AJ could not remember his story the day of the trial, barely answering yes/no questions. His original interview provided to the police was admitted as evidence, despite the interview not following proper protocols because of the absence of CPS or trained child interview experts.
The medical examiner who provided the autopsy report fled the state prior to the trial due to his removal of licensing for vast misconduct on hundreds of autopsies. He currently resides in New Jersey, where he is a clown and magician for children’s birthday parties.
In Dr. Seibert’s absence, his administrative assistant who had no medical experience and prior perjury convictions read his notes in place of his testimony.
The jury of six people had two individuals leave after the first day. After a three day trial, they unanimously decided upon their verdict within an hour.
The jury had decided Amanda’s guilt before she even sat down in the court room.
February 22, 2008
Amanda is convicted of first degree murder and child abuse, and sentenced to life without parole.
Hear it in Amanda’s own words.
Adrianna’s death and Amanda’s conviction were unjustly evaluated by the state of Florida. Here’s what you should know.
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Detectives did not collect evidence from the supposed crime scene for multiple days following Adrianna’s death. During that time, other family members reported removing picture frames, moving toys around the yard, and even deflating the pool itself. The pool was inflated again for photos, but never collected as evidence by detectives.
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In most districts, children under the age of 10 are not considered competent witnesses, so why was AJ at 7 years old expected to be the star witness in his mother’s trial?
The absence of CPS at the time of the statement violates both AJ and Amanda’s rights to truth, protection, and justice. The interview tactics utilized before and during trial woud be prohibited under current Florida protocol. It’s time they review Amanda’s innocence.
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In order to avoid the death penalty, Amanda’s defense ceded to a six person jury. Within jury selection, two alternates were chosen in the extreme case one of the jurors cannot fulfill their duties as previously agreed to. After the first day, two people quit the jury for intentionally vague reasons.
Advocates and attorneys alike theorize this is from a hostile jury environment that would have forced them to follow their predispositions of Amanda in order to get to a unanimous verdict.