The Moffat County mother found guilty by a jury in June of this year of ‘Child Abuse Resulting In Death’ and ‘Child Abuse Resulting In Serious Injury’ was sentenced in Moffat County District Court on Wednesday. On March 11th, 2021, the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a suspicious vehicle near County Road 54 in unincorporated Moffat County. Deputies located the vehicle unoccupied on a service road not frequently traveled. 37-year-old Kaylee Messerly of Craig and her two daughters were located approximately 1 mile from the vehicle. Messerly and the 3-year-old were found alive, suffering from cold exposure injuries. The 18 month old baby was found deceased. She was not wearing shoes or appropriate clothing for winter conditions. An investigation of the incident, led by the Moffat County Sheriff’s Office and the Investigative Division, resulted in the arrest of Kaylee Ann Messerly on April 9th, 2021. Messerly tested positive for methamphetamine at the hospital where she was treated for frostbite. Her 3-year-old daughter was found to have methamphetamine in her system and had extreme frostbite that resulted in the amputation of her feet. Craig Daily Press reported that District Judge Sandra Gardner sentenced Kaylee Ann Messerly to 26 years in prison on Wednesday, 16 years plus five years on parole for the death of her baby and 10 years for her daughter’s feet needing amputation. There was a push by the defense to have the terms served concurrently but Judge Gardner ordered that they be served consecutively due to the seriousness of the offenses. The Craig Daily Press quoted Judge Gardner as saying, “Ms. Messerly still believes that she did nothing wrong, that this was simply a terrible accident. I find that to be a very, very alarming state of mind.” The matter of restitution will still need to be handled by the court as the children’s father is seeking restitution for lost wages while caring for his now disabled child.
