Stacey Newkirk-Smalls

Case record: Stacey Newkirk-Smalls

Background

Stacey Newkirk-Smalls was a Tacony mother accused in the May 2012 murders of her 18-month-old twins, Adam and Eve. Her licensed-practical nurse background and her close involvement with her children were described by family members.

Her mother, Yvonne Newkirk, said Stacey Newkirk-Smalls had been “supermom” to the twins and taught them a form of sign language before they learned to talk. Yvonne Newkirk also said Newkirk-Smalls had bought a membership at Philadelphia’s Please Touch Museum to expose the twins regularly to enrichment activities, and enrolled another daughter, Stacey, now 5, in ballet classes. Yvonne Newkirk described the twins as “her life” and said Newkirk-Smalls was smiling at them and talking about the children when people saw her.

Family members also connected the killings to Newkirk-Smalls learning her husband was having an affair with her adult daughter from another relationship. One of Newkirk-Smalls’ best friends, C. Chekejai Coley, said: “She loved her children dearly. Whenever you saw her, she was talking about the children, she was smiling at them. She had nothing but good things to say. But what happens when an ultimate betrayal happens?”

Yvonne Newkirk said: “Stacey, your family is with you. We love you,” and “We want you to know that we are here to support you.”

Newkirk-Smalls’ attorneys included public defenders Fred Goodman and David Stevenson during the bench trial. Her case was handled by Assistant District Attorney Peter Lim, and Assistant District Attorney Mark Cipolletti was also quoted discussing motives behind parents who kill their children.

The offence

Police and prosecutors said that on May 24, 2012, Stacey Newkirk-Smalls poisoned both twins before drowning one and suffocating the other at the Ditman Street home she shared with her husband.

Prosecutors said Newkirk-Smalls poisoned her children in a rage after learning that her husband, Ron Smalls, was having an affair with her daughter from a previous marriage.

At least one source described additional conduct: police said she tried to poison her 4-year-old daughter, Stacey, but the child survived and was unharmed. A toxicology screening showed no evidence of poison in Stacey’s system. At the time of the initial investigation, authorities also said she tried to poison her older daughter and then tried to take her own life.

Investigation

City police and prosecutors said Newkirk-Smalls confessed when police arrived at her Tacony home on Ditman Street after being summoned by her husband, Ron Smalls, who was employed as a city correctional officer at the time.

At a bench trial, Assistant District Attorney Peter Lim told the court that Newkirk left notes detailing the crime near the children’s bodies and admitted to police that she poisoned the children with sleeping pills. Lim said Newkirk told police she drowned one of the twins and smothered the other.

One note was described as being addressed to her husband. Lim quoted the note as: “I hope this makes you feel 1/1,000th of the pain I feel,”

Another source said police found four notes at the home explaining that Newkirk had hurt the children because she was apparently upset after finding out on Mother’s Day that her husband, Ron Smalls, was having an affair with Stacey’s daughter from another relationship.

Police also described the 4-year-old daughter, Stacey, as having been treated at St. Christopher’s Hospital, where she was listed in good and stable condition and later described as treated and released.

Arrest and custody

Stacey Newkirk-Smalls appeared in court for a formal arraignment. One source described her as being held without bail.

In connection with the incident, she was transported to the homicide unit and arrested and charged with two counts of murder. Another source said she faced murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault charges.

Police said Newkirk attempted to kill herself by taking pills and cutting her wrists and was hospitalized overnight. Another source said she remained on suicide watch in police custody.

Trial

The verdict and sentence were handed down by Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Minehart following a one-day nonjury trial.

At Monday’s bench trial, with Judge Jeffrey Minehart presiding, Assistant District Attorney Peter Lim argued that Newkirk left notes near the children’s bodies and admitted poisoning the children and drowning and smothering them. Lim said that if Newkirk had not waived her right to a jury trial, he said she would have faced the death penalty.

Newkirk’s attorneys, Fred Goodman and David Stevenson, did not contest the evidence but asked that Minehart convict their client of third-degree murder instead of first-degree murder.

Newkirk did not speak during the brief trial. She waved to family members seated in the courtroom before proceedings began and cried quietly after her sentence was imposed.

Her attorneys declined to comment after the trial, but told Minehart she was “extraordinarily remorseful” over the crime.

Sentencing

Judge Jeffrey Minehart sentenced Newkirk-Smalls to life in prison without parole on January 6, 2014.

Prosecutors said Newkirk-Smalls was convicted of third-degree murder in both deaths. The court sentenced her to 20 to 40 years in prison for one murder and to life for the other because having two murder convictions automatically triggers a life sentence under state law. One source said both sentences would run concurrently.

The court also reflected that she was found not guilty of a third charge: the attempted murder of her 4-year-old daughter, Stacey. The prosecution had contended that Newkirk tried to poison the girl, but her attorneys said a toxicology screening showed no evidence of poison in the girl’s system.

The prosecution contended that Newkirk left notes and admitted to poisoning, drowning one twin, and smothering the other; the defense did not contest the evidence but sought third-degree murder.

Appeals

No appeal information was stated in the provided material.

Outcome

Stacey Newkirk-Smalls was convicted of two counts of third-degree murder for the deaths of her twins, Adam and Eve, and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. She was found not guilty of attempted murder of her 4-year-old daughter, Stacey.

Aftermath

After the sentencing, relatives and friends emerged from the courtroom proclaiming love and support for Newkirk-Smalls, including Yvonne Newkirk. C. Chekejai Coley and Yvonne Newkirk provided quoted statements about family support and betrayal.

Ron Smalls was described as employed as a city correctional officer at the time and as asking for privacy after the discovery of the twins’ bodies. One source said Ron Smalls said he would live with the incident for the rest of his life and asked for privacy. Another said he planned to divorce his wife.

At the time of the incident, police commissioner Charles Ramsey said: “These things have no social or economic boundaries,” and also: “In this case, it’s really a very sad set of circumstances that led to the deaths of these children.” He also said: “Stacey Smalls was transported into the homicide unit and was arrested and charged with two counts of murder,” as attributed to police Capt. James Clark.

Cipolletti said: “These things have no social or economic boundaries,” and “In this case, it’s really a very sad set of circumstances that led to the deaths of these children.” He also discussed leads motives for parent killings, listing five causes: “Altruism,” “Acute psychosis,” “Unwanted child,” “Accidental,” and “Spousal revenge.”

In relation to Newkirk-Smalls’ case, Cipolletti said his office had given notice to Common Pleas Court that it reserved the right to seek a death sentence against Newkirk-Smalls, and described Newkirk-Smalls as the only suspect in the slayings.

Timeline

• May 24, 2012 — Stacey Newkirk-Smalls poisoned both twins before drowning one and suffocating the other at the Ditman Street home; police and prosecutors said she also tried to poison her 4-year-old daughter, Stacey, and attempted suicide by taking pills and cutting her wrists.
• May 25, 2012 — Prosecutors charged Stacey Smalls with two counts of 1st degree murder; investigators said she strangled one twin and drowned the other and were awaiting autopsy results for the official cause of death.
• May 29, 2012 — She was described as being held without bail and as facing murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and other related charges.
• October 2, 2012 — Newkirk-Smalls appeared in court for a formal arraignment.
• January 6, 2014 — Judge Jeffrey Minehart sentenced Stacey Newkirk-Smalls to life in prison without parole.
• January 7, 2014 — Reports described the conviction and sentencing as having been handed down after a one-day nonjury trial.

Other details

Philadelphia homicide detectives were described as investigating.

Newkirk-Smalls’ surviving daughter was described as being kept in custody of her father, Ron Smalls, in one account.

Ron Smalls said he was in therapy and would not discuss Newkirk-Smalls’ claim that he was having an affair with his wife’s daughter from another relationship.