GREENVILLE, S.C. - A mother who has been accused of murdering her 7-year-old son will be in court for an undisclosed hearing on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
Amanda Smith was charged with the 2007 death of her son, Devon Epps. According to Greenville County deputies, Smith claimed that she was carjacked, locked out of her car and then watched as the attacker smothered her son in front of her.
No signs of a struggle were found at the scene. Investigators said that Epps died 30 - 40 minutes before Smith made a 911 call.
The hearing will be in front of Judge Ned Miller. A spokesperson for 13th Circuit Solicitor Bob Ariail could not say what the hearing was about.
Amanda Smith, accused of killing her son and lying about a carjacking to cover up the crime, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and obstruction of justice in a Greenville County Courtroom Tuesday afternoon. Smith is sentenced to 5 years for involuntary manslaughter, 3 years for obstruction of justice for a total of 8 years, including time served.
The public defender assigned to the case, John Mauldin, said Smith didn't think a jury would find her innocent.
"Amanda maintains her innocence," he said, but " believes a jury would convict her."
Smith, 37, was charged with the murder of her seven-year old son Devon Epps on August 12, 2007. She was arrested in November, three months after the boy was killed. The Greenville County Coroner's Office says Epps died of asphyxia due to neck compression. Investigators said the manner of death was a homicide.
The child's paternal grandparents were at the trial Tuesday.
They said they're very disturbed about the sentence, and said they weren't even informed of plea before they came here.
They told News Channel 7's Melissa Keeny they hope she "rots in hell."
The child's father wasn't at the trial.
Since the boy's death, his parents said he hasn't been able to discuss the case without getting physically ill.
Smith told deputies a carjacker, armed with a knife, forced her out of her car and smothered Devon with a pillow. She described a white man to detectives who produced a sketch of the suspect she described.
Some of the evidence was presented in court against Smith back in January. Investigator Mary Fields of the Greenville County Sheriff's Office said on the witness stand that Smith's story didn't add up from the beginning.
Fields said forensics tests didn't support the story. She testified that the only DNA evidence found in the car was Smith's and Devon's after their investigation. Dog teams never picked up a scent of the attacker Smith described.
The Greenville County Coroner's Office report said Devon was dead up to 45 minutes longer than Smith had described to detectives.
A vigil is planned Thursday in honor of a boy who Greenville County Investigators say died at the hands of his own mother.
Amanda Smith was sentenced to 8 years for involuntary manslaughter and obstruction of justice. Investigators say Smith killed her son, Devon Epps, in 2007 and blamed it on a carjacker who didn't exist.
The Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services says Smith's parole hearing will likely be held in 6-months. She could be out of prison as early as February.
The candlelight vigil for Devon Epps will be held at 7:30pm Thursday at Jacobs Road and Frontage Road in Greenville County.