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Sheila O'Leary sentencing date rescheduled yet again

Mom convicted of son's death originally scheduled to learn fate in July
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Posted at 7:27 AM, Aug 26, 2022
and last updated 2022-08-26 07:39:47-04

FORT MYERS, Fla. — A Cape Coral mother convicted of the death of her son has still yet to learn her fate.

Sheila O'Leary's sentencing, originally scheduled for July 25, has been moved to Monday, Aug. 29 — the fifth such date placed on court dockets since her conviction.

The change was confirmed Friday, which had been the most recent scheduled sentencing date.

O'Leary and husband Ryan were charged in the 2019 death of 18-month-old Ezra. Ryan has yet to be tried and is also facing child sex abuse charges unrelated to the deceased.

MORE | See a complete timeline of events

Testimony during the June trial revealed the family follows a strict vegan diet. Investigators said the couple told them the family ate only raw fruits and vegetables, although the toddler also was fed breast milk.

The boy weighed just 17 pounds (8 kilograms) and was the size of a seven-month-old baby, a police report said.

Two other children, aged 3 and 5 at the time, were found in similar states of malnutrition. A third child, age 11 at the time, was living out-of-state and had been the focus of a prior DCF abuse investigation.

Previous rescheduling dates had been prompted by Sheila's requests for a new trial, which have since been denied.

We've reached out to the Lee County Clerk of Courts to learn more about the reasons for this most recent scheduling change.

O'Leary faces a life sentence.