Cheri Lynn Marler: Wyoming babysitter accused of beating 5-year-old to death was ‘sick of her'
KEMMERER, WYOMING: A judge decided last week to allow the prosecution to introduce evidence at the trial of a Kemmerer babysitter that she admitted she was "sick of'', "hated," and "just wanted to kill" the 5-year-old girl she is suspected of beating to death in November 2022.
Lincoln County District Court Judge Joseph Bluemel ruled in a December 20 order that the prosecutor trying 52-years-old Cheri Marler may present evidence of her saying she despised the kindergartener who died of injuries sustained in her care last year, as per reports.
Marler confessed killing the 5-year-old
In November 2022, Marler admitted to Kemmerer police that she had physically abused the 5-year-old under her care, clapping her head with her fists, shortly before the child died.
However, Marler had argued through her lawyer Elisabeth Trefonas on November 21 that because she was taking a lot of medication at the time, her confession was not voluntary and should not be admissible as evidence in court.
Five days after a hearing on that argument, Bluemel denied Marler’s request in one of his orders last week. Additionally, Marler’s trial is set for January 22, 2024, as per Cow Boy State Daily.
As per Law and Crime, the affidavit reportedly states that “Marler explained it as though she was clapping with (the child’s) head in the middle."
'I just wanted to kill her'
According to the complaint, the toddler lied down right away and was subsequently discovered by Marler unconscious. Marler claimed to have contacted 911 at that point and informed the authorities that the child's injuries were caused by her sliding down the steps.
Marler also allegedly admitted to beating the victim the previous day using kitchen utensils. Marler had also previously told an acquaintance that she “hated” the victim, was “sick of” her, and “just wanted to kill her."
That acquaintance later informed police of Marler’s comments. The investigator who penned the probable cause affidavit reportedly summarized the brutality of the abuse, writing, “We’re shocked at the amount of bruising, cuts, abrasions, and the overall condition” in which they found the child.
This month, Marler's defence counsel submitted an application to the court asking for the admission of her purported confession and the remarks she is said to have made to her acquaintance to be dismissed. Both of those demands were however turned down.
