Mansfield woman sentenced to life for smothering 9-year-old niece

A North Texas woman was sentenced to life in prison after admitting she smothered her young niece with a pillow.A Tarrant County jury found Mercia Sneed guilty of capital murder and injury to a child causing serious bodily harm for the 2019 death of 9-year-old Melodi Sneed.She was then given two life sentences without the possibility of parole."Today is about Melodi," Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney Charlie Boulware said during closing arguments. "Melodi's family has waited seven years, seven long years. We are asking for a swift verdict for Melodi's family and for Melodi."Mansfield police arrested Sneed after they found the 9-year-old unresponsive in her family’s new home on Eagle Drive on July 27, 2019. She was later pronounced dead at the hospital.According to prosecutors, the murder happened after all the other adults in the house had gone to bed and Melodi had fallen asleep on the couch in the game room. Sneed told her 13-year-old son to leave the room, and then she pre