Judge seals records in Skylar Richardson's case

Brooke Skylar Richardson, who was acquitted in 2019 of most charges in the death of her newborn child, has successfully sealed the record of her conviction.

Warren County Common Pleas Judge Donald Oda II signed the order Monday. The general public will no longer be able to see records of a jury convicting Richardson of one count of gross abuse of a corpse.

Following her conviction on the felony, Richardson was sentenced to three years probation. Oda granted a request last year to end her probation nearly two years early.

Richardson was 18 when she was accused in 2017 of killing her infant child and burying the body in her parents’ backyard. Prosecutors said she did it in secrecy to protect her picture-perfect image. Her attorneys said she had a stillbirth and didn't know what else to do.

The jury acquitted her on charges of aggravated murder and involuntary manslaughter.

Since the end of her trial, she has attended college and worked for the law firm that represented her. She's told the court in prior hearings that she hopes to go to law school and become a public defender.

In his order, Oda wrote that Richardson "has been rehabilitated to the satisfaction of the court."

Prosecutors in the case opposed the effort to seal the records. Steven T. Knippen, a Warren County assistant prosecuting attorney, said sealing Richardson's records would diminish the seriousness of her offense, Enquirer media partner Fox19 reported.

In the ruling, Oda wrote Richardson's interest in this matter outweighs the state's need to maintain the records.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Judge seals records in Brooke Skylar Richardson's case