A Virginia woman, Veronica Youngblood, 38, was sentenced to 78 years in prison on Friday for the murder of her two daughters. Youngblood, a former sex worker, was convicted in March on two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of felony firearm use. The tragic incident occurred five years ago when Youngblood drugged her daughters, Sharon Castro, 15, and Brooklynn Youngblood, 5, with melatonin gummies before shooting them in their beds at their McLean apartment.
Brooklynn was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot once in the head. Sharon, who was shot once in the back and once in the chest, managed to call 911 before succumbing to her injuries at the hospital. The chilling 911 call made by the teenager was played during the trial, leaving jurors so traumatized that they requested therapy.
Youngblood confessed to detectives that she had planned to kill her daughters and herself amid a drawn-out custody dispute. As her elder daughter lay dying, Youngblood called her ex-husband, Ron Youngblood, to tell him she had shot their children. Ron had initially planned to move to Missouri with the girls, but at Veronica’s insistence, he agreed to take only Brooklynn.
The handgun used in the murders was purchased by Youngblood nine days prior to the incident. Despite the horrific crime, Youngblood, who was born and raised in Argentina, referred to herself as a “good mother” during her sentencing. She claimed that “something happened” in her brain that led to the tragic event.
During a 30-minute speech, Youngblood attempted to explain her actions, stating that “something exploded in my mind.” She also spoke about the difficulties she faced while raising her daughters. Youngblood’s defense team presented an insanity plea, arguing that she heard voices. However, this defense was rejected.
The jury recommended a 78-year prison sentence after hearing testimony about Youngblood’s difficult upbringing. She grew up in poverty, suffered physical and sexual abuse as a child, and resorted to sex work as a teenager to support her older daughter. The defense requested that the two sentences run concurrently, which would have reduced the sentence to 42 years. This request was denied by Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows, who stated, “Mothers and fathers have many responsibilities, but none is more grave than keeping their children safe. Tragically, their mother became the instrument of their death.”