Apr. 21—A woman from Yoder has been sentenced to 55 years in prison for killing her newborn daughter and burying the infant on her family's property.

Amy Grace Carr, 21, gave birth to her daughter 'Lily Carr' on Jan 18, 2021. According to investigators, Carr strangled her newborn daughter shortly after giving birth and buried her in a shallow grave on the family property.

Investigators said Carr's parents discovered her child days later on Jan. 23 and called 911. According to investigators, the parents were unaware their daughter was sexually active, or pregnant.

On Friday, Carr entered a plea agreement, pleading guilty to two felony charges: second-degree murder and tampering with a deceased human body.

If the case had gone to trial, Carr would have faced a maximum life sentence.

The agreement Carr entered stipulates she will serve 48 years in prison for the murder of her daughter, followed by an additional seven years for the tampering charge. The sentences are to be served consecutively and will be followed by a 5-year parole term served after her release.

Carr previously pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, following an evaluation conducted by her defense counsel. During Friday's plea hearing, Judge Thomas Kane asked Carr if she was clear-headed at the time, or if she had taken any medication related to her mental health treatment that would impact her decision.

Judge Kane spoke several times about the weight of deciding to enter a plea agreement, outlining the rights that would be waived if Carr agreed to do so.

Carr agreed and told the judge she did not remember how she killed her newborn. She said she didn't know what she was doing at the time of her infant's death. The judge said that would lead him to reject the plea agreement if she was unable to recall.

As questioning continued, Carr confirmed she attempted several times to cause a miscarriage through various measures. She also confirmed text messages exchanged with her boyfriend in which she talked about killing the child, and said she knew leaving the newborn 'in the elements' would kill it.

Carr also confirmed she attempted to hide the body in the shallow grave, as she was 'afraid of criminal charges.'

Amidst sentencing, the prosecution noted that while there was support in the courtroom for Carr, no one was present to speak on behalf of Carr's newborn 'Lily', including their family.

The prosecutor referenced the coroner's report, stating that the child was born healthy, and would have lived if not for Carr's actions.

They presented texts between Carr and her boyfriend which discussed the surprise Lily wasn't stillborn as well as a detailed account of what it took to strangle the child.

"I'm surprised it was alive and not stillborn," Carr's boyfriend wrote in a text.

"Seriously, me too. How long I had to strangle it before it stopped breathing. Strong little girl," Carr texted back in response.

The prosecution justified the lengthy 55-year sentence by noting Carr's evident lack of remorse. He told the court that although he has witnessed Carr cry at times, he believes the tears were not for her actions, but rather for the consequences she faces.

During the same sentencing hearing, the defense argued the defendant was unable to make a connection with her fetus, or even acknowledge the pregnancy due to experienced trauma impacting her mental health leading up to the incident.

Carr's defense council detailed the defendant's troubled upbringing in an abusive household, including a life-long history of neglect, sexual abuse, and her eight siblings being removed from the home back when the family was living in southern California.

The defense read from a mental health evaluation of Carr stating that her life circumstances led her to not having the ability to understand a healthy bond between a parent and a child, contributing to the events surrounding the death of her newborn baby.

Carr has been held without bond in the El Paso County Detention Center since her arrest in early 2021.