A Georgia jury quickly returned a verdict Wednesday morning in the case of a mother accused of stabbing her 13-month-old daughter to death in 2020. Chloe Alexis Driver, 24, was found “guilty beyond a doubt.” reasonable but mentally ill” on all charges, which included malice murder, felony murder, first-degree cruelty to children and aggravated assault.
The driver seemed impassive. how the verdict was read in court. The driver had already pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. During his trial, which began last week, Assistant District Attorney Katie Gropper described Driver as part of a “polygamous group,” married to Benyamin Ben Michael, also known as Brian Joyce or “Z.”
groper reclaimed that Driver murdered his daughter, Hannah, because she wanted Ben Michael for herself, since he had multiple wives. Dr. McLendon Garrett, a staff member with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, testified that she had conducted a clinical interview with Driver after the murder.
She diagnosed Driver with paranoia and delusions, which are fixed false beliefs that are maintained despite evidence to the contrary. Garrett explained that Driver had told her that he saw signs that Ben Michael and his other wives wanted her and Hannah to commit suicide. The driver also believed that she had “magical powers” and could read minds, according to Law and crime and KFOX-TV.
Garrett described how Driver believed she was “unloading her sin” on her daughter through breastfeeding and thought she and Hannah were “sinners.” Ben Michael supposedly She told Garrett that Driver was no longer referring to his daughter by her name, but instead called her “a sin.” Garrett added that Driver felt separated from the other wives and thought everyone was against her.
The prosecution argued that despite Driver’s mental health issues, she understood the consequences of her actions when she murdered Hannah. “It was very clear that she understood that she was killing Hannah and she understood the permanence of that decision,” prosecutors said, emphasizing Driver’s “stern” presence of mind at the time.
In defense, Driver’s lawyers disputed the claim that she killed Hannah to eliminate her competition for Ben. Michael’s attention, noting that if this were the case, Driver would have also targeted Ben Michael’s other wives.
They urged the jury to find Driver not guilty by reason of insanity, arguing that he was delusional and unable to distinguish right from wrong. “Justice for Hannah in this case is to provide her mother with the treatment she needs,” the defense concluded.
If you suspect child abuse, call Childhelp’s National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit www.childhelp.org. All calls are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.