Emmaleigh’s law passed by Senate

Called Emmaleigh’s Law, the measure stemmed from a case out of Jackson County in which 10-month-old Emmaleigh Barringer died of a skull fracture. According to Metro News, Benjamin Ryan Taylor, 32, of Cottageville, was accused of striking and sexually assaulting her in October 2016 in the apartment where he lived with the girl’s mother.

The bill would increase the penalty for intentional or malicious infliction of pain, illness, impairment of physical condition and causing death. It remains a felony and the penalty is equivalent to first-degree murder of 15 years to life, said Senator Charles Trump, R-Morgan.