A woman sentenced to 54 months in prison after her baby suffered serious burns has been set free on judicial release.
Heather Mollett, 34, was indicted for felonious assault and child endangerment after her 16-month-old baby was admitted to Nationwide Children’s Hospital with burn injuries. Personnel there contacted the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, saying they suspected the injuries were linked to child abuse.
The Scioto County SVU investigated, and Mollet was arrested. In April of last year, she pleaded down to five counts of child endangerment and received a 54-month sentence.
During her trial, Mollet’s attorney argued that her baby had sustained the burns in a too-hot bath and admitted that Mollet had failed to take the baby for medical help immediately. He claimed this was due to poor judgment and not an intent to harm the baby.
After a hearing in Scioto County Common Pleas Court on Thursday, Judge Mark Kuhn ruled Mollett was eligible for judicial release and had served all mandatory prison time.
He sentenced her to five years of community control and ordered that she be placed in an intensive supervision program. She must report regularly to the probation department and stay out of any establishment that serves alcohol as a condition of her probation.
