Angela West: Missouri woman gets life sentence for killing 5-yr-old girl by gagging her with sock over stealing food

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

MISSOURI, UNITED STATES: A 41-year-old woman from Missouri will be imprisoned for the remainder of her life after confessing to her part in the death of a 5-year-old girl who was gagged and hogtied with a sock to stop her from stealing food.

According to officials, Angela West was given a life sentence in a state prison by Pulaski County Judge John Beger on Thursday, December 21. West entered a guilty plea to a single charge of endangering the welfare of a child, which led to the child's demise.

West's co-defendant Shamira Buford faces second-degree murder charges

Shamira Buford, West's co-defendant in the case, is set to go on trial on June 10, 2024, for the charges of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, abuse or neglect of a child, and endangering the welfare of a child, according to records.

Kevin Hillman, the prosecuting attorney for Pulaski County, stated in a statement that "this is one, if not the most tragic case, I have seen in my thirteen years as prosecuting attorney."

"These were heinous acts perpetrated on a young and innocent victim over a long period of time and I commend Judge Beger for sentencing the defendant to life imprisonment for her role in this abuse and death of this child," said the prosecutor in the statement.

The prosecutor's office gave law enforcement credit for their efforts. "A case like this, involving the death of a child, is hard on everyone involved and a conviction and sentence like this is due to their professionalism and hard work," the statement continued.

According to Law&Crime, a young student called a resource officer at Waynesville School early on March 7 to report that, on the floor of their home, he had seen his younger sister lying unconscious and unresponsive.

This was before the student arrived at school. The police were called to the 700 block of the Washington Street residence, approximately 140 miles southwest of St. Louis, by the resource officer as soon as possible.

According to the first responders, a young girl answered the door and said her younger sibling was not alive. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by the authorities after they discovered her unconscious and unresponsive.

The two female occupants of the house, subsequently recognized as West and Buford, were registered at the Pulaski County Jail. Judge Colin Long of the County Circuit Court ordered their detention without bond pending further proceedings.

5-year-old had ligature marks on body

According to an affidavit, West and Buford were not awake when the police showed up at their residence at 8.50 am.

The officer was informed by the child who answered the door that their younger sibling had been choked. The victim child's body was later discovered by Buford in the living room, covered in a blanket.

The girl appeared to have severe ligature marks on her neck, ankles, and wrists, according to the police.

According to reports, here was a gray sock next to the body that appeared to have blood on it and was drenched in an unidentified substance.

Buford told police that she and West would bind the five-year-old because she “continued to steal food". They allegedly started by "hogtying" the child with nylon rope after first utilizing duct tape.

According to reports, Buford further acknowledged that they had gagged the child with the sock because the other kids couldn't sleep at night due to her "whining and crying".

Buford told police about the sock-gag, saying, "We got tired of telling her to be quiet," according to KMIZ.

Regarding the sock, West allegedly remarked, "I thought she was OK because she could breathe through her nose."