Why dis woman go jail afta her boyfriend kill her son

For di early hours of New Year Day for year 2020, Rebecca Hogue come house afta her 12-hour shift for di Oklahoma casino wia she dey work as cocktail waitress, she enta bed, sleep near her 2-year-old son, Ryder and her boyfriend.

Di next morning wen she wake up, she discover say Ryder no dey breathe again. Her boyfriend, Christopher Trent don already go work wit fear she call police.

Bodycam footage of dat day from emergency responders show as she dey try perform CPR on her son, wey dey pronounced dead wen e reach hospital.

One coroner report later conclude say di cause of death na blunt-force trauma and evidence from di house wey Hogue and Trent dey live show strands of Ryder hair for di drywall.

Why Hogue dey take fall for di crime

Hogue say she no dey aware say Trent dey abuse her son. She call Trent, beg am make e meet her for hospital but Trent no reply her texts or voice messages.

Four days later, police see Trent body for di Wichita Mountains. E don commit suicide.

For one tree near di site wia police take see im deadi body, e write say "Rebecca dey innocent."

Police later clear am say na Trent kill di baby.

But as Trent don die, Police turn di investigation on 29 year old Hogue and dem charge her wit first degree murder.

For Oklahoma, parents wey fail to protect dia children from child abuse fit dey charged wit di same crimes as di actual abuser.

"Failure to protect" laws wey dey exist for many US states don draw criticism from domestic violence experts wey tok say dem dey often criminalise victims of domestic abuse wey fit dey too scared to leave.

Wetin happun for Hogue trial

Hogue trial take place for autumn last year. To convince jury say she dey guilty, di state go need prove say she know about di abuse and she no do anything about am.

Hogue argue say she no get any idea say Trent dey abuse Ryder before dat day. Although before Ryder die, she bin notice say di boy get small-small unexplained injuries for body.

Two weeks before Ryder death, Hogue tell police say she notice bruises and cuts on Ryder body. She take fotos and begin search on her phone for warning signs of child abuse.

But wen she ask Trent about di bruises, e tell am say e dey normal for kids that age to get "nicks and bruises", according to police interviews.

Two days before Ryder death as she dey baff am, Hogue notice say her son no dey do normal, e dey act sluggish. She confront Trent again wey tok say maybe Ryder get flu.

Hogue later tell police say she search online for symptoms of flu plus signs of how abused children take dey act. She say she dey search for those tins because "she dey attract those kinds of men".

Di state say her searches prove say she know say Trent dey abuse her child, but she forgive am.

Hogue say she search because she bin dey careful, but she believe Trent explanations for di injuries.

"She tok say she fall for am again because e manipulate her," police report tok.

Prosecutors say those initial suspicions about im injuries - and di fact say she continue to dey allow Trent to babysit her pikin - na proof say Hogue dey guilty of "permitting her child to dey murdered".

Several pieces of evidence no dey allowed into trial wey Hogue pro-bono attorney Andrew Casey believe say for help her case.

Di tree-carving wit di words "Rebecca dey innocent" dey considered as hearsay.

Di lead detective wey investigate di murder no dey allowed to give im opinion on di merits of di case.

Also di jury no dey allowed to hear expert testimony about Hogue previous experiences wit domestic violence and how e affect her, because she no be di pesin wey Trent dey abuse physically.

Wetin be Hogue fate

Hogue follow BBC tok from prison where she dey await sentencing on Friday, she say she dey always play those brutal images wey police submit for court over and over again for her head.

"Di tins dem tok for trial dey haunt me," Hogue tell BBC from di Cleveland County Detention Centre for Oklahoma.

Hogue grow up as only child and no sabi wetin e mean to dey around children until she give birth to one. She dey overwhelmed by how much she love am and she still dey call am her "best friend".

"He already get sense of humour at two and a half," she tok as she smile at di memory.

Wit no before criminal record, Hogue dey face di possibility of spending decades in prison. Di jury recommend life sentence wit parole wey dey possible afta 38 years, but di Oklahoma Department of Corrections tok say deferred sentence wit no jail time and mandatory counselling na im better pass.

Hogue no be di only person wey state go hold responsible for dia partner violence.

Plenty US states get some law wey dey against failing to protect children from abuse, either as a criminal or civil offence.

Sentences dey range from mandatory counselling to years behind bars. For several states, including Oklahoma, e fit carry life sentence.