Mom pleads not guilty in baby's death

By MARSHA DORGAN
Register Staff Writer

Ten-month-old Maddison Wesley’s death was a “horrible tragedy. But that doesn’t make it a crime,” according to Napa defense attorney Doug Pharr.

Pharr is representing Maddison’s mother, Haley Wesley, 27, who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Maddison’s death.

On May 18, Wesley found her daughter’s lifeless body strapped in her car seat in the back seat of the family’s black Honda. Wesley forgot the child was in the car and the baby was left there unattended for six hours while her mother was at work in Angwin, where the family lives. The autopsy revealed Maddison suffered severe dehydration.

Wesley made her first court appearance on Wednesday where she was arraigned and entered a plea of not guilty. The maximum sentence for involuntary manslaughter is four years in state prison.

In August, after the district attorney’s office filed the felony complaint against Wesley, the court issued an arrest warrant. Wesley voluntarily surrendered to authorities, was booked in the county jail and was released on her own recognizance.

At Wednesday’s hearing, Pharr asked the court to continue to let Wesley remain out of custody with her promise to appear in court on Oct. 12, for her preliminary hearing. Superior Court Judge Diane Price granted the request.

Wesley did not come to court alone. About 50 family members and supporters crammed into the courtroom, taking most of the seats and lining the walls, two-deep at some places.

Dressed in a black pants suit, Wesley stood next to Pharr and retained her composure as Price read the felony complaint to her.

Although Pharr declined to discuss the case, he told the Register that Wesley “had time to prepare for today’s appearance. This is a horrible tragedy. If there was anything she could do to undo what has happened she would. But that is impossible.”

The tragic chain of events started the morning of May 18, when Wesley, along with Maddison, drove to Napa from their home on College Avenue in Angwin to visit a friend. Realizing she was going to be late for work, Wesley and the baby left Napa and drove to Angwin.

Forgetting the baby was in the back seat, Wesley parked her car at the parking lot where she works around 9 a.m. She did not return to the car until 3 p.m., at that time she drove home. When she arrived at the residence she found her daughter unresponsive still strapped in the car seat. Wesley brought the baby inside the house where she administered CPR. Medics were called and Maddison was taken to St. Helena Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

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