The Wyoming Supreme Court has upheld the first-degree murder conviction of Carolyn Aune, a Cody woman sentenced to life in prison for her role in the 2021 death of her boyfriend’s 2-year-old daughter, Paisleigh Williams, Gillette News Record reports.
The court rejected Aune’s appeal, affirming the jury’s finding that her failure to seek medical care for the critically injured child constituted reckless infliction of harm.
Aune, 32, was convicted in 2023 after jurors concluded she recklessly caused Paisleigh’s death by not seeking medical attention. Medical experts testified that the child suffered a severe abdominal injury, described as a “gut punch” or similar blunt-force trauma, which ruptured her intestines. The injury required urgent care, and doctors stated Paisleigh likely would have survived if treated promptly.
Instead, a significant delay in seeking care led to sepsis, organ failure, and ultimately the child’s death on March 27, 2021. Aune maintained that she was unaware of the extent of the injuries and claimed fear of her boyfriend, Moshe Williams, influenced her inaction.
Williams, 35, faced separate charges in the case but was acquitted in a 2023 trial. He had brought Paisleigh to a hospital only after it was too late to save her.
Aune’s appeal challenged the interpretation of Wyoming’s child abuse laws, arguing that her failure to act did not equate to “inflicting” injury under the state’s statutes. Her defense team contended that while her inaction might constitute neglect or a lesser offense, it did not rise to the level of first-degree murder.
The Wyoming Attorney General’s Office argued otherwise, asserting that state laws include omissions that result in harm. Justice John Fenn, writing for the unanimous court, emphasized that Aune’s failure to seek care directly contributed to Paisleigh’s death.
“Ms. Aune testified she witnessed Mr. Williams stomp on (Paisleigh)’s abdomen with his heel. Yet she did nothing,” Fenn wrote. “She did not call 911, suggest Mr. Williams take (Paisleigh) to the hospital immediately, or take (Paisleigh) to the hospital herself.”
The court’s ruling reaffirmed the jury’s decision, concluding that Aune’s inaction met the legal threshold for reckless infliction of injury.
During oral arguments, some justices expressed concerns about whether inaction could legally constitute “infliction.” Chief Justice Kate Fox questioned how failing to act could equate to causing harm, calling the concept of an “act of omission” problematic.
However, the court ultimately sided with the prosecution’s argument that Aune’s duty to act and her failure to fulfill it were sufficient grounds for her conviction. Assistant Attorney General Donovan Burton argued that the severity of the child’s injuries demanded intervention from anyone present.
Aune’s life sentence includes an additional term for assaulting detention deputies while awaiting trial. At her sentencing, she maintained her innocence and blamed Williams for the child’s death. Meanwhile, Paisleigh’s family continues to believe Aune was directly responsible for the fatal injury.
