Senate Passes Nixzmary’s Law

In a continuing effort to protect New York’s innocent children from being victims of violent child abusers, Senator Thomas P. Morahan (R,C, I, New City) announced New York State Senate passage of "Nixzmary’s Law," a bill that would require a sentence of life without parole for parents or guardians who kill a child.

The bill (S.675A) is named after Nixzmary Brown, a seven-year-old Brooklyn girl who was brutally beaten and left for dead last year. Her mother and stepfather were charged with her murder. This legislation would create the crime of aggravated murder of a child and mandate a sentence of life without parole for the parent, guardian or other person in a position of trust, who abuses and tortures a child under the age of 14, causing the death of the child or intentionally causes the death of a child.

"This bill would close a loophole that allows violent child abusers to escape life without parole when they cause the death of a child," said Senator Morahan.

Existing law mandates the sentence of life without parole for the death of a child less than 14 years of age only in those cases when a person 18 years of age or more commits the crime while committing a felony sex crime against the child. In all other cases, a person who tortures and abuses a child, causing the child’s death, or intentionally causes the death of a child, can be paroled after serving a minimum term, no matter how horrific the crime.

The bill was sent to the Assembly.

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