A young mother who recorded herself suffocating her infant son and sent the videos to friends has avoided a prison sentence in a shocking US court case.
Disturbing Videos and Messages
Emma Rigdon, aged 22, pleaded guilty to two counts of child abuse or neglect for incidents that occurred in April 2024 in Missouri. Court documents reveal the twisted mother filmed herself placing her hand over her young son's nose and mouth, causing him to struggle to breathe and flail his limbs.
In a second video, she placed a blanket over the boy's face, making him cry and grab at it vigorously. Rigdon then sent these recordings to a friend, accompanying them with sickening text messages. She bragged that the abuse gave her an "adrenaline rush" and made her feel happy.
"I Be Stopping Right Before He Dies"
Police evidence, cited from Law and Crime, included chilling messages where Rigdon discussed her actions. "I be stopping right before he dies. Last time he was blue," one message read. In another, she stated: "I really wanna kill him but I don't want to go to jail so. It's unfortunate. He's just gonna have to pay for his existence."
According to a probable cause statement, Rigdon also admitted to pinching and slapping the boy's leg to make him cry, relishing in hurting him. The motive for the abuse was not disclosed by authorities.
Suspended Sentence and Probation
Despite the severity of the crimes, Rigdon will not serve immediate prison time. She was sentenced to five years for each count, to run concurrently, but the sentence was suspended. The judge credited the more than 600 days she had already spent in jail.
As part of her plea deal, Rigdon must comply with strict conditions:
- She is prohibited from contacting the victim.
- She must complete anger management classes.
- She will be on probation for three years following the suspended sentence.
The court papers did not specify who is now caring for the child, who thankfully survived the abuse.
This case follows other recent high-profile child abuse tragedies, including the murder conviction of former beauty queen Trinity Poague, who beat her boyfriend's toddler to death.
