Mom guilty in death of 2-yo son
By Shelby Montgomery
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NORMAN, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Jurors deliberated the fate of Norman mother Rebecca Hogue who was charged with the murder of her two-year-old son and found her guilty of murder and life in prison is recommended.
Hogue’s boyfriend, Christopher Trent, is now dead and is accused of abusing the boy to death.
Both sides provided convincing arguments.
Hogue’s son Jeremiah Johnson, known as Ryder, died New Year’s Day 2020. Trent, the man accused of the abuse that led to his death, fled and killed himself days later.
The state tried to prove that Hogue either knew about the abuse or should have known. They opened their closing arguments by stating, “the guilty might flee, but the ones who can’t, make up a story.”
The state argued that Ryder sustained several injuries over two weeks. The most severe injuries happened days before his death.
The state said that Hogue made up a story that Ryder fell down the stairs.
Hogue’s lawyers said that the “guilty fled and the innocent stayed.”
Hogue’s lawyers also said that Trent manipulated and gaslighted Hogue and covered up any abuse. They believed that Hogue deserved the benefit of the doubt.
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