Vegan Mom Receives Life Sentence In FL For Starving Young Son To Death

CAPE CORAL, FL — A vegan woman convicted of murder in the malnutrition death of her 18-month-old son was sentenced Monday to life in prison.

In addition to her life sentence, a judge ordered that Sheila O’Leary, 38, have no contact with her other children, according to 20th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Amira D. Fox.

The mother of four, whose family followed a strict vegan diet, was convicted in June on six charges — first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, aggravated manslaughter, child abuse and two counts of child neglect — in the death of Ezra O'Leary.

The jury deliberated for just over three hours before returning the guilty verdict following a five-day trial in Lee County.

Sheila and her husband, Ryan Patrick O’Leary, were indicted by a Lee County Grand Jury on Dec. 18, 2019.

According to Fox, the couple's 18-month-old toddler died on Sept. 27, 2019, in Cape Coral. The evidence shown at trial proved the child died due to complications from severe malnutrition and dehydration.

Three other victims, a 3-year-old boy, a 5-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl, also suffered from extreme neglect and child abuse, the state attorney said.

Investigators said the couple told them the family ate only raw fruits and vegetables, although the toddler also was fed breast milk. The 18-month-old boy weighed 17 pounds and was the size of a 7-month-old baby when he died, a police report said.

Sheila's husband currently remains in jail while awaiting trial on the same charges.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.