(Des Moines)– The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a Spirit Lake woman on multiple counts of child endangerment.
Heidi Watkins was found guilty by a judge in connection with the death of her two-year-old daughter, Shelby Duis. Duis was found dead in her Spirit Lake home January 4th, 2000. She had been severely beaten. Watkins’ boyfriend at the time, Jesse Wendelsdorf, was acquitted of murder and sexual abuse. Watkins was acquitted of murder.
In her appeal, Watkins claimed Wendelsdorf told a new girlfriend he had abused and killed the child. The high court reaffirmed a lower court ruling rejecting the statement as not credible. Even if her boyfriend had caused some of her daughter’s injuries, the court said Watkins would be guilty of knowingly permitting abuse.
The justices also upheld the district court’s denial of a motion for a bill of particulars seeking a statement of precise acts on which the charge of multiple acts of child endangerment was based.
Watkins had also appealed on a claim of diminished capacity. The state supreme court also rejected that argument, saying evidence during the trial was insufficient to show a diminished capacity.
Supreme court justices also rejected Watkins’ argument the statutes under which she was convicted are vague. Citing dictionary definitions, justices upheld the statute as a reasonable description of the prohibited conduct.
Justices also ruled against Watkins’ claim that there wasn’t enough evidence to constitute child endangerment. They cited testimony from a physician who stated the injuries were the result of physical force. They cited other testimony that most of the injuries took place while Shelby was under Watkins’ care.
In upholding the conviction, the Iowa Supreme Court also denied Watkins’ request for a new trial.
