Mother and Boyfriend Sentenced in Toddler’s Death

A mother whose one-year-old daughter was tragically found deceased in a dresser drawer has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Her boyfriend received a significantly longer sentence, nearly double that for his involvement in the child’s death.

This sentencing follows the discovery of Oaklee Snow’s body in an abandoned Indiana house. A Marion County judge issued the sentences after Madison Marshall and her boyfriend, Lone Waters, accepted a plea deal to evade harsher charges.

Oaklee had gone missing from her father’s home in Oklahoma, and her remains were located in Morgan County on April 21, 2023. Marshall had taken Oaklee and her seven-month-old brother without the father’s consent.

Investigations revealed that Marshall had relocated to Indiana with her boyfriend, who lived in what was described as a “trap house,” a term often associated with drug activity.

According to police, the couple abandoned the infant boy after moving. Following her arrest, Marshall recounted to authorities how events unfolded. She mentioned that her boyfriend had yelled at Oaklee, instructing her to “bomber with a bouncy ball.” When Marshall checked the situation, she discovered her daughter unresponsive, with blood and saliva around her.

The couple later concealed the child’s body in a blanket and abandoned it in a dresser in a deserted home, located about 27 miles south of Indianapolis.

Upon urging from family members, a nationwide search was launched for Oaklee, which concluded in April with the couple’s arrest. Marshall soon confessed, leading law enforcement to the child’s remains.

The Morgan County Coroner’s Office ruled the toddler’s death a homicide, noting injuries, including broken legs.

Marshall pleaded guilty to neglecting her dependents and was sentenced to 25 years. Waters also entered a guilty plea for multiple charges including neglect and received a 45-year sentence. As part of their plea deal, all other charges, including murder, were dismissed.

Dan Sicchini from the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office emphasized the horror of what occurred, stating that those who were responsible for caring for the child inflicted such cruelty upon her.