BELFAST — A Stockton Springs couple accused of battering the woman’s 10-year-old daughter to death appeared in Waldo County Superior Court for the first time Feb. 28.

Sharon Carrillo, 33, and Julio Carrillo, 51, were handcuffed and shackled as they shuffled into the back entrance of the courthouse. Neither answered any questions posed by reporters.

The pair were arrested Feb. 26, both charged with depraved indifference murder after 10-year-old Marissa Kennedy died from Battered Child Syndrome after months of horrific abuse.

According to court documents Marissa was beaten multiple times every single day, for months, leaving her with serious injuries, including bleeding on the brain and a lacerated liver.

Both Carrillos waived their right to have the charges formally read before the courtroom, which was largely empty except for a dozen plus reporters clustered on the right side of the room. 

Sharon Carrillo who was the first to go before Judge Robert Murray, kept her head down and wept audibly while State Prosecutor Donald Macomber described the crime as part of his bail request. 

Macomber said that while she may have a constitutional right to bail because the charge is depraved indifference murder rather than intentional and knowing murder, it was the most serious case of depraved indifference murder he’d seen in his 30 years as a prosecutor.

“This defendant, what she subjected her child to, can only be described as torture. Multiple injuries, subdural hematoma, multiple rib fractures, bruises on every part of her body, lacerated liver,” he said before offering photographs of Marissa to Justice Murray.

Macomber went on to discuss that he believes Sharon Carrillo to be an extreme flight risk, saying, “She has essentially no ties to the community, she’s only lived in Maine for less than two years.”

“From what I understand the defendants have no financial resources to speak of and for that reason the state is asking that you set bail in the amount of $500,000 cash bail with provisions that the defendant have no contact with children under 12,” Macomber said. 

Sharon Carillo’s lawyer, Steven Peterson, argued that he thought $500,000 was an extraordinary request, especially given that Carrillo is of meager financial means.

Instead of arguing against the bail request, Peterson suggested setting the bail at $500,000, but without prejudice. This means he would be allowed to come back before the court to make a request at a later time without having an actual bail hearing.

Justice Murray granted the bail requested, specifying that there be no third party surety allowed, and barred Sharon Carrillo from being in contact with any children under age 15, adding three years to the state’s requested 12 and under ban. He also authorized the defense to make a filing requesting further review of bail without first establishing a substantial change in circumstances.

Julio Carrillo, who showed no emotion while in the courtroom, was given the same bail conditions as his wife. While Sharon Carrillo has no criminal background, Julio Carrillo has a domestic violence charge from Kentucky in 2000.

Both Julio and Sharon Carrillo are next scheduled to appear in Waldo County Superior Court for a status conference April 30, at 1 p.m.

They are also both expected to undergo mental examinations. 

A status conference is a meeting of the judge and lawyers in a pending legal matter, to check on how the case is progressing. The judge might ask a number of questions, such as what discovery has been conducted and other pretrial matters.

The term discovery, in legal terms, refers to a pretrial procedure where both parties obtain evidence for their case. This can be done in a number of ways including demands for documents, depositions of parties and potential witnesses, and examination of the scene, among others.

See also:

Mother, stepfather arrested following 10-year-old daughter’s death

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com