When the state Board of Parole scheduled a hearing on possible early release of convicted grape soda child killer Mary Lavonne Vaughn, it triggered a round of protests from law enforcement officials. Now, the Kingsport Times-News reports it was a mistake.
BOP communications director Melissa McDonald said she started checking on the Vaughn hearing Tuesday morning after seeing the Times-News online article. McDonald said Mary Vaughn’s hearing seemed to be coming way to early, a sentiment that local authorities shared with the Times-News Monday
“I checked with the Department of Corrections because when they notify us that someone is eligible for a parole hearing we place them on the docket,” McDonald said. “After some further checking, they notified us (Tuesday) to take her off the docket.”
McDonald added, “They have notified us that she should not have been placed on that docket, and we are deleting that hearing.”
On Dec. 4, 2014 Mary Vaughn, 58, and her husband Randall Lee Vaughn, 42, both pleaded guilty to second degree murder and aggravated child abuse for the 2012 murder of Randall Vaughn’s 5-year-old daughter Alexa Linboom.
The (child)… died on Jan. 3, 2012, two days after being forced to consumed a large quantity of grape soda and water as a punishment. Mary and Randall Vaughn were each sentenced to 15 years at 60 percent on the abuse charge, to be followed consecutively by a 20 year sentence at 100 percent for the murder.
The June 15 hearing in Nashville would have determined if Mary Vaughn received parole on the 15 year sentence. If granted she could begin serving the 20 year sentence.
The Vaughns have been incarcerated since February of 2014 when they were indicted.
…The Vaughns lived in Surgoinsville, and Alexa Linboom attended Surgoinsville Elementary School.According to Alexa’s autopsy report, on Jan. 1, 2012, the Vaughns forced her to drink about 2.4 liters of soda and water over a one- to two-hour span.
The massive fluid intake was punishment for Alexa drinking some of Mary Vaughn’s grape soda after being told not to.According to the autopsy, the massive liquid intake caused her brain to swell and herniate.
The couple failed to seek medical attention for Alexa for several hours after she first screamed in pain, and then fell into a paralyzed state and unconsciousness.