PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — A Pueblo woman has been found guilty of first-degree murder and child abuse in a case which left one child dead and another injured.
Samantha Kimberly, 40, was convicted Tuesday of one count of murder in the first degree, two counts of child abuse, and accessory to a crime, according to the Pueblo County District Attorney. Kimberly was convicted based on evidence presented by multiple expert witnesses, including an expert in child abuse.
Prosecutors said that her children — who were 14 and 3 years old at the time of her arrest — endured months of physical abuse. The abuse they said she inflicted on her 3-year-old resulted in his death from a severe brain injury, prosecutors said. The injuries the 14-year-old sustained required treatment at a Colorado Springs hospital.
“We appreciate the jury’s verdict in this tragic and difficult case. We extend our gratitude to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation and support during the prosecution to achieve justice for the victims. Any homicide case is difficult, but those challenges are amplified when the victims are children. We remain committed to protecting victims of crime and pursuing justice with the utmost care and determination,” said Pueblo County District Attorney Kala Beauvais.
Kimberly was originally arrested on June 8, 2024, after Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office deputies were sent to investigate a report that a 3-year-old was unconscious and not breathing normally. When they arrived, medical personnel were treating a child with visible injuries on his body.
The 14-year-old also sustained visible injuries and was treated at a local hospital before being placed with the Department of Human Services.
Kimberly will be sentenced on Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. in Division 503.
