Lake County judge: Inmate can't leave to jail to see dying father
A woman charged with killing a 3-month-old child in Waukegan cannot leave the Lake County jail to visit her dying father at a Milwaukee veterans hospital, a Lake County judge ruled Friday.
However, Judge Victoria Rossetti said Sarah Gumm, 33, of the 1100 block of Bob O'Farrell Lane in Waukegan, will be allowed to Skype or FaceTime with her father from the jail one time in the coming days to give each of them closure.
Defense attorney Jed Stone filed paperwork this week to reduce Gumm's bond to $100,000 to allow her one last visit with her father.
However, prosecutors argued Gumm's bond was already low at $3 million and she shouldn't be allowed to leave the jail.
"I see it much the same way (as prosecutors)," Rossetti said.
"You were a baby-sitter for a ... 3-month-old and are accused of leaving that child alone not once, but twice."
Gumm was charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder in August 2012 for the death of Rylan Aislee Koopmeiners of Kenosha. An autopsy concluded the infant had a skull fracture and cranial hemorrhaging and died of blunt force trauma.
Prosecutors claim Gumm was changing the baby's diaper when the little girl began fussing. Gumm told police she got flustered and the baby's head hit a table when she put the infant down, authorities say. Prosecutors also say Gumm left the baby at the home alone on two occasions on the day of the infant's death.
Gumm provided a voluntary statement admitting her actions were responsible for the injury to the child, police said.
Police said Gumm had cared for the child in her home for six weeks before the baby's death.
Gumm pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder and aggravated battery charges at her arraignment in 2012. She has remained in Lake County jail since her arrest.
On Friday, Stone also pushed back Gumm's trial to June 16. The two sides are due back in court May 20.