Obese woman jailed for life for sitting on and suffocating nine-year-old girl as punishment

Dericka Lindsay died after being smothered by abusive 23-stone cousin

Veronica Green Posey has been jailed for life after killing her nine-year-old cousin (Escambia County Jail)

A US woman has been jailed for life for killing her nine-year-old cousin by sitting on her as a form of punishment.

Veronica Green Posey, 66, was convicted of murder after smothering Dericka Lindsay at the girl’s home in Pensacola, Florida.

The child suffocated after 23-stone Posey sat on her for more than five minutes.

Prosecutors said Dericka suffered horrific beatings from her adoptive parents, James and Grace Smith, and her cousin when she misbehaved.

The abuse came to a head on 14 October, 2017, when Posey was woken by Ms Smith phoning her to complain she could not control Dericka and her eight-year-old sister, reported the Penscola News Journal.

“Once her feet hit the floor getting out of bed, she was determined to beat these children,” assistant state attorney Amy Shea told a trial at Escambia County’s circuit court.

Posey took a ruler and pipe to the family's home and used them to help Ms Smith "whip" Dericka, it was reported. As the girl struggled, Posey sat on her back, pushing Dericka's chest into the arm of a chair.

The child reportedly screamed twice that she could not breathe. After Posey got up, she realised Dericka was not breathing and called 911.

An autopsy revealed Dericka had severe bruising on her buttocks that a pathologist described as "injury, on top of injury, on top of injury".

Posey's lawyer, Michael Griffith, argued she had not intended to hurt Dericka and that the Smiths were responsible for their daughter's abuse.

But jurors found her guilty of first-degree murder on Friday.

James Smith had previously been jailed for 10 years for child cruelty. His wife, who suffers from mental and physical illnesses, was found unfit to stand trial but could be prosecuted at later date.