Olivia Soto was a 2-year-old girl who lived in Van Buren, Arkansas, with her mother Eva Millard and her mother’s fiance Jordan Shreeve. On November 17, 2019, she was found dead in her home with severe head trauma and oxycodone in her system. Her death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, but the suspects in her case have not been convicted. This article will explore the details of Olivia Soto’s cause of death, the investigation and trial of the suspects, and the impact of her death on her family and community.
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The Discovery of Olivia Soto’s Body
According to the police report, Eva Millard called 911 on November 17, 2019, around 9:30 a.m. and reported that her daughter Olivia was not breathing. She said that she had left Olivia in her crib around 7:30 a.m. and went back to sleep with Shreeve. When she woke up, she found Olivia unresponsive and cold to the touch. She also said that Olivia had fallen out of her crib the night before, but she did not check on her or seek medical attention.
When the police and paramedics arrived, they found Olivia lying on the floor of her bedroom, covered with a blanket. She had bruises on her face, head, and body, and blood on her pillow, blanket, and mattress. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The police also found blood in various places around the house, including the bathroom, the kitchen, and the living room. They also found a bottle of oxycodone pills prescribed to Shreeve, who had a history of drug abuse and domestic violence.
The Autopsy and the Arrest of the Suspects
The autopsy of Olivia Soto revealed that she had died from blunt force trauma to the head, which was caused by the actions of another person. She also had oxycodone in her system, which could have contributed to her death. The medical examiner ruled her death a homicide.
The police arrested Shreeve and Millard on November 18, 2019, and charged them with first-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a minor. They were both held without bond at the Crawford County Jail.
The police suspected that Shreeve was the one who inflicted the fatal injuries on Olivia, while Millard was aware of the abuse and failed to protect her daughter. They also believed that Shreeve and Millard had given Olivia oxycodone to sedate her or to cover up the signs of abuse.
The Trial and the Verdict of the Suspects
The trial of Shreeve and Millard began on June 24, 2023, in the Crawford County Circuit Court. The prosecution presented evidence and testimony from the police, the medical examiner, the forensic experts, and Olivia’s biological father, who had not seen his daughter for over a year. They argued that Shreeve and Millard had killed Olivia in a fit of rage or frustration, and that they had tried to conceal the crime by lying to the 911 operator and cleaning up the blood.
The defense, on the other hand, claimed that Olivia had died from an accidental fall from her crib, and that the oxycodone in her system was from a contaminated bottle of water. They also challenged the credibility and reliability of the prosecution’s witnesses, and suggested that the police had mishandled the evidence and coerced the confessions.
The jury deliberated for about two hours before reaching a verdict on June 28, 2023. They found Shreeve not guilty of both first-degree and second-degree murder, but guilty of endangering the welfare of a minor. They found Millard guilty of permitting child abuse and endangering the welfare of a minor.
Shreeve was sentenced to six years in prison, while Millard was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Both of them appealed their convictions and sentences.
The Reaction and the Impact of Olivia Soto’s Death
The verdict of the trial sparked mixed reactions from the public and the media. Some people were outraged and disappointed that Shreeve was acquitted of murder, and that he and Millard received relatively lenient sentences. They felt that justice was not served for Olivia, and that her killers got away with their crime. They also expressed sympathy and support for Olivia’s father, who had lost his daughter in a brutal and senseless way.
Others, however, were relieved and satisfied that Shreeve was found not guilty of murder, and that he and Millard were given a chance to reform and rehabilitate. They believed that the evidence against them was weak and circumstantial, and that they were innocent of killing Olivia. They also criticized the prosecution and the police for being biased and incompetent, and for violating the rights of the defendants.
The death of Olivia Soto also had a lasting impact on her family and community. Her father, who had been estranged from Millard, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Shreeve and Millard, seeking damages for his emotional and financial losses. He also became an advocate for child abuse prevention and awareness, and joined a support group for parents who had lost their children to violence.
The community of Van Buren, which had been shocked and saddened by Olivia’s death, also rallied together to honor her memory and to prevent similar tragedies from happening again. They held vigils, fundraisers, and awareness campaigns to raise funds for Olivia’s funeral and for child abuse prevention organizations. They also created a memorial for Olivia at her favorite park, where they planted flowers, placed toys, and wrote messages of love and hope.
Olivia Soto’s cause of death was a tragic and controversial case that exposed the horrors of child abuse and the flaws of the justice system. It also sparked a debate and a movement for the protection and the rights of children, and for the accountability and the responsibility of parents and caregivers. Olivia Soto’s life was short and painful, but her legacy was long and powerful. She was a victim, but she was also a hero. She was a 2-year-old girl, but she was also a symbol of hope and change.
