Charged with murdering a 3-month-old child she was baby-sitting in July 2012, Waukegan resident Sarah Gumm has decided to cease plea negotiations with the state and go to trial.
“Miss Gumm has instructed us to proceed to trial,” defense attorney Jed Stone said Tuesday morning.
The Lake County state’s attorney’s office was notified of her decision Monday.
During a hearing Tuesday, Gumm’s trial date was moved from Feb. 9 to April 27. Gumm, who faces up to life in prison if convicted, also has a pretrial hearing set for Feb. 24.
Also at Tuesday’s hearing, defense attorney Greg Nikitas was added as a supplementary attorney on Gumm’s defense team.
Gumm has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and aggravated battery alleging she killed 3-month-old Rylan Aislee Koopmeiners. She is accused by police and prosecutors of violently slamming the baby onto a table.
According to authorities, she was caring for the Kenosha child for six weeks in her Waukegan home before the baby died of blunt-force trauma on July 27, 2012.
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Waukegan police said Gumm admitted she was responsible for the infant’s injuries.
According to the Lake County coroner’s office, the baby died of a skull fracture and cranial hemorrhaging from blunt-force head trauma.
Emergency personnel found the baby unresponsive when they arrived at Gumm’s home, authorities said. The infant was taken to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan, where she was pronounced dead.
Based on a previous ruling by Judge Victoria Rossetti, a media video camera will be allowed in Gumm’s trial.
She is being held in Lake County Jail on $3 million bond.