Erica Lawson’s toddler daughter Elena died on July 30, 2023 at a hospital in Tennessee
Bell County Detention Center
Erica Lawson
A Kentucky mother is behind bars after prosecutors allege she abused her daughter so severely that it resulted in the toddler’s death. However, her lawyers claim that rumors circulating on social media have tainted the case.
Erica Lawson, 21, has been charged with second-degree murder, failure to report neglect or child dependency abuse, first-degree criminal abuse and first-degree wanton endangerment in connection with the death of her 17-month-old daughter Elena, online court records reviewed by PEOPLE show.
Middlesboro police arrested Lawson in 2023 after Elena died from her injuries at a Tennessee hospital on July 30, 2023. Lawson is now being held in Bell County, Kentucky, on a $1 million bond.
According to WBIR-10, before her death, Elena’s uncle went to police to report suspected child abuse, but authorities were unable to locate Elena at the time.
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Commonwealth’s Attorney Lisa Fugate is seeking the death penalty against Lawson, WATE reports. Lawson’s lawyers are fighting it, claiming social media rumors have plagued the case. The defense has asked the state to prove why Lawson’s case qualifies as a death penalty case.
“I think social media is an important element in discussing this case,” Greg Coulson, one of Lawson’s attorneys, tells PEOPLE. “There are an incredible number of opinions on social media and hundreds of thousands of interactions that are patently false and contradicted by the evidence.”
The defense also claims that previous statements made by Fugate, who previously claimed that Elena had been sexually assaulted, are false. According to the defense proposal to abolish the death penalty cited by WATE, there was “zero evidence that anyone sexually abused the child,” nor that male DNA was found on Elena. In response, Fugate claimed that more testing is currently taking place, the outlet reports.
“The medical examiner found no evidence of sexual abuse,” Coulson tells PEOPLE.
Lawson’s attorneys are also requesting a change of venue for the trial, citing threats and public interest in the case, WBIR-10 reports. The defense also claims that false social media claims about Elena’s death have spread on social media.
PEOPLE contacted Fugate for comment but did not hear back. Lawson’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 5. Coulson says Lawson will plead not guilty and that the defense will “continue to vigorously defend our client.”
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or visit www.childhelp.org. All conversations are free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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