Visalia mom found guilty of felony child endangerment causing death of daughter

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Visalia mother on trial for child endangerment, relating to the murder of her daughter, was found guilty on Monday.

Nicole Lee, 34, sobbed in court as the clerk read the jury's verdict -- guilty for felony child endangerment with a special allegation that the abuse caused the death of her 3-year-old daughter, Natalynn Miller.

Prosecutors say Lee failed to protect her daughter from her boyfriend, Ryann Jones, who was convicted of the little girl's 2009 beating death last year. Witnesses testified during the trial that Lee was well aware of the physical abuse her daughter Natalynn was suffering at the hands of Jones but failed to do anything about it.

The girl's father, Troy Miller, attended both Jones' and Lee's trials and is still heartbroken by his daughter's murder.

"I just really miss Natalynn and I really love her, and this doesn't bring her back but maybe it can help somebody else to prevent this situation from happening to them," said Miller.

Lee declined to talk to the media after the verdict. Prosecutors say she continues to stand by Jones.

"Tragedy occurs when the very people that are charged with care and responsibility to take care, when they cross the line it's so egregious," said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward.

Jurors didn't waste much time deliberating over the three-week trial, which ended with Lee taking the stand in her own defense and accusing other witnesses of lying about what they saw or heard.

"They started deliberating at around 3:20 on Friday and reached their decision today. I thought they were probably going to reach a quick decision because it seemed like the evidence was really overwhelming," said Miller.

Lee will be back in court on July 15 for her sentencing. She could then be taken into custody to serve her prison sentence. She faces up to 10 years.