Judge finds Maine woman guilty of murdering toddler, rejects insanity defense

The Associated Press
December 16, 2014 at 10:45PM

BANGOR, Maine — A Maine woman has been convicted of killing her 2-year-old daughter by giving her allergy medicine and then covering her mouth and nose with duct tape and a blanket.

Twenty-five-year-old Leanna Norris, of Auburn, had waived a jury trial and mounted an insanity defense. Justice Ann Murray issued her ruling on Monday, convicting Norris of murder and saying the defendant knew right from wrong.

Norris admitted to investigators that she gave her daughter, Loh Melody Grenda, a high dose of allergy medicine to help her sleep, then suffocated her. The body was found in June 2013 in a car in Stetson.

No sentencing date was set.

After the girl's death, Norris swallowed some of the same allergy medicine and 200 Advil pills in a failed suicide attempt.

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