SCHENECTADY, N.Y. — A Schenectady mother was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after a jury found her guilty of second-degree murder in the death of her 11-month-old daughter, who was abandoned in a drainage pipe on the city’s General Electric campus.
Persia Nelson, 26, was convicted in October after prosecutors argued she placed her daughter, Halo Branton, into a 10-foot-deep drainage pipe in March 2024 and left the child alone as she cried and struggled in the freezing water.
During sentencing, the court heard that Nelson remained at the scene for nearly 30 minutes after placing the infant in the pipe, before walking away without seeking help. The pipe was reportedly filled with water and mud, and authorities said the child died of hypothermia.
“This was an act of depraved indifference to human life,” prosecutors told the court during the trial. They described the case as one of the most severe examples of child endangerment they had seen, noting that Nelson had multiple opportunities to rescue her daughter or seek assistance.
Nelson’s defense attorneys argued that she was intoxicated and disoriented at the time of the incident and did not intend to kill her child. They said Nelson expressed remorse and maintained that she was confused and not fully aware of her actions. The judge rejected that argument, stating that the evidence showed deliberate and reckless behavior.
In delivering the sentence, the judge emphasized the severity of the crime and the vulnerability of the victim.
“An infant cannot defend herself, cannot protect herself, and had no chance once placed in that pipe,” the judge said. “The court must send a clear message that such conduct will not be tolerated.”
Nelson was also convicted of manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child, in addition to the murder charge. The sentence marks the end of a case that drew national attention for its shocking details and the young age of the victim.
Authorities said the investigation began after the infant was reported missing and a search of the area led to the discovery of the drainage pipe. The child’s body was later recovered and an autopsy confirmed that she died from hypothermia.
Nelson is expected to serve the minimum 25 years before becoming eligible for parole.
Video Credit: WNYT.com
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