Vegan Florida Mom Convicted of First-Degree Murder for Feeding Toddler Just Fruits and Vegetables

Vegan Florida Mom Sheila O'Leary strict vegan diet Fruits and Vegetables first-degree murder Ryan O'Leary strict vegan diet for toddler Virginia's Child Protective Agency how to raise a healthy child poor dental hygiene American Academy of Pediatrics whole diet underweight or undernourished vegan or vegetarian diet

By Lili Scott , Parent Herald Jul 05, 11:25 am

Photo: (Photo : PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images)

Vegan Florida mom, Sheila O'Leary, made the conscious choice to feed just fruits and vegetables to her toddler, Ezra, and her other children but that said choice to follow a strict vegan diet endangered the life of her kids.

This was the argument of the prosecutor in the trial of the vegan Florida mom, who was convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter, aggravated child abuse, and child neglect by the jury on Wednesday, June 29, 2022. Sheila's husband, Ryan O'Leary, had also been indicted with similar charges, but he is still awaiting his separate trial, per Fox 29 News.

In 2019, Ezra, 18 months, died in his sleep after feeling weak and too sick for some time. He was not eating for about a week before he died and weighed just 17 pounds or the weight of a seven-month-old baby.

During the investigations, the parents told the police that the baby was on a strict vegan diet along with his three siblings, Lacy, Iris, and Lilly, who are all below the age of 11. Ezra was also breastfed, but this didn't improve his condition as all of the O'Leary children presented symptoms of malnutrition and dehydration.

Deliberate plan to let Ezra die

State prosecutor Francine Donnorummo told the jury that Sheila disregarded her toddler's health. The baby had been sick between April to September 2019, but amid his cries and discomfort, the mother and the father did not attend to Ezra's basic needs like proper nutrition and medical care, per News-Press.

The prosecutor also highlighted that Sheila used Google to search the internet for information on how long a child could survive without eating. This suggested a deliberate plan to let the baby die despite the defense claiming that Ezra's death was an accident.

If her children became hungry, Sheila would give them sliced cucumbers and fruits like avocado, mangoes, and bananas. However, Lilly, who was Sheila's eldest child with her ex-husband, Khang Chen, was allowed to have cooked vegan food.

Chen testified against Shiela and said he opposed her vegan diet when they had Lilly. The ex-couple had a court order from Virginia, where Chen is based, to enroll in parenting classes. Virginia's Child Protective Agency wanted Shiela and Chen to learn how to raise a healthy child when Lilly's health declined during her early years.

Lilly's father told the jury he used to feed his daughter fish and chicken if Sheila was not around. Following his divorce, Chen saw Lilly regularly every two months. According to reports, Lilly's health is better compared to her siblings.

However, aside from malnutrition, the O'Leary kids also had poor dental hygiene. Investigators said the children do not appear to have had check-ups with their pediatricians and dentists.

Upon the parents' arrest, Lilly was sent to her father while Lacy and Iris were in foster care. Their weight and health have since improved.

AAP recommends a whole diet in children

Sheila will be back in court for her sentencing in late July. Her defense team was disappointed by the jury's verdict but noted that they took more than three hours to deliberate, so the judgment was not rushed.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children have a whole diet of fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, grains, and protein. From six months old, children must be given a variety of foods from all food groups, including those that provide iron and zinc. After 12 months, the children may follow a balanced diet that provides nutrients, allows a healthy body weight, and reduces the risk of chronic illness.

The APP also said that clinical evidence to suggest the big difference in nutrition among children who are on a vegan or vegetarian diet is still limited. However, a vegan or vegetarian diet in kids is usually associated with being underweight or undernourished.