Ohio Woman Sentenced To 37 Years After Killing Three Sons Because Of Jealousy

Brittanny Pilkington from Ohio was accused of suffocating her three sons to death pleaded guilty on Tuesday and was sentenced to 37 years in prison.

The woman allegedly committed the crime out of jealousy because of the attention her husband was giving the boys.

Pilkington got the sentence as part of a plea deal, which prevented her from facing the death penalty for killing the boys.

Her three-month-old son, Noah, was found dead in August 2015 in the couple’s apartment in Bellefontaine in western Ohio. Her other sons Gavin and Niall had died in April 2015 and July 2014, respectively.

Pilkington admitted during her interview with prosecutors to using blankets to suffocate Noah, Gavin and Nial. She had been suffering from mental issues due to years of physical and sexual abuse.

Hailey was taken into custody by child welfare services after Noah’s death.

Pilkington then told authorities she committed the crimes because she was jealous of the attention her husband was giving the boys, though he was ignoring her and their daughter, Hailey.

She initially pleaded not guilty to the aggravated murder charges. Prosecutors had sought genetic testing for Pilkington to rule out genetic problems as a cause of death.

Judge Mark Connor stated that her sentences ought to run back to back because of the nature of the crimes.

The prosecutor for Logan County, Eric Stewart, stated the state's experts felt the death penalty was not acceptable for the plaintiff considering her mental problems.

Kort Gatterdam, one of the attorneys for the defense, claimed the mother had suffered lead poisoning and years of physical and sexual abuse, and this led to her mental issues. He based the case on the fact that her parents, social services and schools failed to protect her.

A scan of her brain also indicated physical trauma, possibly due to battery. Gatterdam said she was safer and living a better life in prison than she was on the outside. He added that his client was irreparably damaged.

Attorney Tina McFall, for the defense, read a statement on behalf of Pilkington saying she misses and grieves all of her children every day.

After Noah’s death, Pilkington’s husband, Joseph, was charged with sexual battery after he impregnated Brittany in 2009 when she was still a minor.

Incidentally before, he married Brittany, Joseph was in a relationship with her mother. His indictment indicated he had been living with Pilkington as a sort of stepfather for several years before impregnating and marrying her.