A 33-year-old Florida woman committed suicide at the Sarasota jail on September 10, less than a year after she accepted a plea deal in the death of her son, Chance.
Kristin Bury was discovered unconscious in her cell and taken to a local hospital, where she later died. While the cause of death appears to be suicide, an autopsy will be performed.
Bury and her husband, Joseph Walsh, were arrested in late September 2015 after getting into an auto accident. Baby Chance was not in the vehicle with his parents, which triggered a frantic search. Sally Susino, the child’s grandmother, had called police and expressed concern regarding Chance’s welfare.
The baby’s body, clad only in a diaper, was found in a shallow grave one month later.
He had a baby wipe stuffed in his mouth, which had caused him to suffocate.
Bury’s suicide is problematic for the case against her husband. Without her witness testimony, it is possible that Walsh could walk free due to the lack of substantial forensic evidence.
At the time of Bury’s sentencing, Susino said she would always love her daughter but did not think the 25-year sentence was harsh enough. She added that mothers should always protect their children.
