Springfield Woman Gets Life+ for the Brutal Death of 5-Year-Old Turner Simpkins
SPRINGFIELD, TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – A Springfield woman has been found (adjudicated) guilty of aggravated child abuse involving torture in connection with the death of 5-year-old Turner Simpkins. Shannon Leigh Elliott, 27, pleaded no contest to the 
charges this week, with Judge David D. Wolfe presiding, waiving her right to a trial.
The case began on July 23, 2023, when law enforcement and medical personnel were dispatched to a residence on Poplar Ridge Road in Chapmansboro. Upon arrival, first responders found Turner Simpkins unresponsive on the side deck of the home. According to evidence presented at Elliott’s hearing on July 30th, Turner, who was not breathing and had a body temperature of 86 degrees, had extensive bruising, lacerations, and bite marks. He was declared dead at 4:42 p.m. after attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
The investigation, conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office, and Tennessee Highway Patrol, revealed that Turner had suffered chronic blunt force injuries and malnourishment. Shannon Elliott, the girlfriend of Turner’s father, was identified as responsible for these injuries.
During the hearing, the evidence against Elliott was presented to Judge David D. Wolfe. The allegations were graphic. Turner’s stomach was distended and purple, his face covered in bruises, with lacerations on his hands, legs, and arms. He was not breathing and had bled out internally. EMS was unable to revive Turner. The state’s presentation during the hearing, detailing the abuse Turner endured both at home and at work, lasted over 20 minutes.
Evidence presented by the prosecution revealed that Elliott would often take Turner to work with her, where she was captured on surveillance video over several months abusing the child, according to a TBI investigation. Turner was filmed on surveillance video at work from May 2, 2023, to July 19, 2023—a period of 79 days. The TBI scoured the recordings and documented numerous instances where Elliott struck, hit, punched, slapped, kicked, bit, strangled, or threw Turner. Detailed in the hearing, the medical examiner determined the cause of death was multiple acute blunt-force trauma injuries and malnutrition.
According to a release from the TBI back in March, Elliott was indicted by the Cheatham County Grand Jury on two counts of First Degree Murder and three counts of Aggravated Child Abuse/Neglect/Endangerment. She was arrested and held on a $1,000,000 bond.
On July 30th, the charges presented against Elliott were modified, and she pleaded no contest. (SEE FULL HEARING BELOW) Based on this plea, the judge found (adjudicated) Elliott guilty of Felony Murder and Aggravated Child Abuse, for which she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Additionally, Elliott was sentenced for two counts of Aggravated Child Abuse involving torture of a child under 8 years of age, each carrying a 20-year sentence, all to be served concurrently, according to Judge Wolfe during the hearing.
The judge further clarified that a life sentence requires serving at least 51 years before eligibility for parole. Given the severity of her crimes and the additional time for the other charges, Judge Wolfe said to Elliott during the hearing, “Based on what I’ve heard today, it’s unlikely in my opinion that you are ever going to see the outside based on what happened to this child. — I’ve sentenced people to life in prison in other, more serious situations, in the form of a death penalty case that I’ve had. I’ve never heard a more horrific statement of facts in my entire life.” [Here, the judge paused for a moment, as he looked down before continuing.] “Nor have I heard anything that I can imagine what this child went through, so I’m sentencing you to life in prison. It’s my hope that you will serve that for the rest of your life.”
RELATED STORIES: Springfield Woman Faces Murder Charges in Death of 5-Year-Old
The full hearing with Judge David D. Wolfe presiding has been added below. It should begin at 4 minutes and 55 seconds in play.
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