NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Norfolk mother pleaded guilty to felony child neglect charges in connection to the 2018 death of her 2-year-old child.
Shelby Love faced two charges, felony murder and felony child abuse. She pleaded guilty on Oct. 28.
Love and her boyfriend at the time, John Hardee, were arrested in 2018 after the death of Love’s daughter Harley. Police responded to their East Ocean View apartment and found Harley unresponsive.
Prosecutors said that Harley had been badly burned by Hardee, and neither called for help until it was too late. After 11 hours, the pair got medical help for the child, who was having seizures when medics arrived. She died shortly after arrived at the hospital.
Defense attorneys had said that Shelby Love was suffering from battered woman syndrome, and previous traumas ‘informed her decision to be in a physically and mentally abusive relationship with Hardee.”
Love will be sentenced on January 29, 2021.
Hardee, who prosecutors say texted “I’m going to prison” to Love after the incident, will have his trial on March 15, 2021.
