Kelsey Smith-Briggs

Infobox Person
name = Kelsey Shelton Smith-Briggs


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birth_name = Kelsey Shelton Smith
birth_date = birth date|2002|12|28
birth_place = Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
death_date = death date and age|2005|10|11|2002|12|28
death_place = Meeker, Oklahoma, USA
death_cause = Blunt force trauma to the abdomen
resting_place = Meeker, Oklahoma
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nationality = flagicon|USA American
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religion = Unknown Due To Age
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children =
parents = Lance Briggs and Raye Dawn Smith. Stepfather Michael Lee Porter
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website = [http://www.kelseyspurpose.org Kelsey's Purpose] , [http://thetruthaboutkelsey.com The Truth About Kelsey]
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Kelsey Shelton Smith-Briggs (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 28 December 2002 - Meeker, Oklahoma, 11 October 2005) was a child abuse victim.

Death

She died at the Meeker, Oklahoma home of her mother, Raye Dawn Smith, and her stepfather, Michael Lee Porter. Evidence indicated that Kelsey died from a blow to the abdomen. In the final months of her life she had suffered at various times a broken collarbone, broken legs, and bruises on her face and body. [http://www.snopes.com/politics/crime/briggs.asp - Kelsey Smith-Briggs on Snopes.com] However, while the injuries were not confirmed to be the result of abuse, her case was watched closely by authorities, including the courts. Her biological father, Lance Briggs, was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia awaiting separation papers when she died.

Trial

Prosecutors initially charged Michael Porter with sexual assault and first-degree murder, but in February 2007 he plead guilty to enabling child abuse and received a 30-year prison sentence. Raye Dawn Smith was tried on charges of enabling child abuse, and a jury returned a verdict of guilty against her on July 18, 2007, and sentenced to 27 years in prison. In March 2006, the Oklahoma state legislature passed the Kelsey Smith-Briggs Child Protection Reform Act. [http://www.oksenate.gov/news/press_releases/press_releases_2006/pr20060328a.html - Oklahoma State Senate News Archive]

References

External links

* [http://heavens-gates.com/kelseybriggs/ 'Heavens Gates Memorial Site for Kelsey Briggs']