October 01, 2019 at 10:41PM
MOLLY Witcher was shopping with her three-year-old daughter when the petite, blonde-haired stranger stepped in front of them and cooed: "Oh, she's so cute!"
It was a sweet remark that would make most mums proud - yet Molly quickly scooped up her little girl and walked away. For the stranger was Brooke Skylar Richardson, the cheerleader who has been ostracised by locals for burying her own baby.
Former cheerleader Brooke Skylar Richardson buried her own newborn baby in her backyardCredit: AP:Associated Press Molly Witcher with her husband Brennon, son Bradley, nine, and three-year-old daughter AmayahCredit: SuppliedApproaching children the same age as her own baby would have been seems to be the poignant act of a young woman who is grieving - but local mothers have reported being 'nervous' about her behaviour.
"My heart dropped, I was overcome with a huge rush of sadness, anger, resentment," Molly, 27, exclusively tells Sun Online, recalling the moment she saw Brooke nine days ago.
Brooke, 20, was once adored in her hometown of Carlisle, Ohio, where she lived in a large, detached house with her family, drove a convertible and was on her school's cheerleading team.
But her seemingly perfect life was shattered in 2017 when she was arrested and charged with murdering her newborn daughter, Annabelle, and hiding her body in her backyard.
After being cleared of murder earlier this month but charged with gross abuse of a corpse, grieving Brooke is desperately trying to rebuild her life through partying, shopping and dining out - yet her mother reveals she is being hounded by ghouls sending her death threats.
Brooke, pictured after her arrest, is now back home with her familyCredit: AP:Associated Press Brooke's family shared this image from when she was eight months pregnant in April 2017Credit: Court HandoutDeath threats and abuse
As Brooke tries to move on, she faces an uphill battle. Her family are still receiving death threats from the public, while Brooke's pals claim she has 'aged 10 years' due to abusive online comments and memes.
Brooke's mum, Kim Richardson, tells Sun Online that her family continues to receive death threats despite the verdict in the case, describing the situation as "beyond difficult".
"I wonder if people even watched the trial," she exclusively tells us.
"They say horrible things and death threats."
Spared jail by the judge, she has been spotted out and about trying to regain a normal life - including "partying" with pals just hours after her sentencing.
She was seen hanging out with girl friends during a football game at Carlisle High School - her alma mater - that Friday night, MailOnline reported.
Since then, she's also been seen clothes shopping and dining out.
Yet Brooke's friends say her "regret" over what happened remains written all over her face.
In a recent Facebook post, one friend slammed: "I'm sick of seeing all these memes about Skylar. You guys are ruining her life. She was found innocent why can't you guys get that?
"She's gone through enough the past two and a half years. She doesn't even look like the same girl we knew and grew to love. You can see the stress and regret all over her face.
"She looks like she aged 10 years."
Molly says her heart "dropped" when she spotted Brooke inside a used clothing storeCredit: Supplied Brooke, 20, from Carlisle, Ohio, was on her high school's cheerleading teamCredit: Supplied Her baby's body was found in the backyard of her family's large, detached houseCredit: ABCHow trial divided a village
Brooke's trial divided people in her hometown, where her family were well-known and respected.
A popular and high-achieving cheerleader who "loved kids", she was suddenly the subject of Facebook pages devoted to her case, with some critics branding her a "baby killer".
Former schoolmates shunned the young mum as she was accused of killing and burying Annabelle after secretly giving birth to the infant alone in the bathroom of her home in May 2017.
And the outrage only escalated when prosecutors claimed the then-18-year-old had smashed her baby's skull with a rock just days after her high school prom in a bid to keep her "perfect life".
The defence denied this and insisted the child was stillborn. But even now, after Brooke's acquittal, some, including a cop who probed the case, still claim she killed her newborn.
At the trial she apologised to the baby's father, Trey Johnson, saying she was 'forever sorry'.
Brooke was photographed just before her school prom, with a clear bumpCredit: Court Handout Brooke sobbed as she was acquitted of aggravated murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment chargesCredit: Court Handout Brooke walks with her parents Kim and Scott before the closing arguments in her trialCredit: AP:Associated PressHow Brooke walked free from court
CHEERLEADER Brooke was just 18 when she was accused of killing and burying her baby daughter, Annabelle.
She gave birth to the infant alone in the bathroom of her home in May 2017, just days after her high school prom.
Prosecutors claimed the teenager had smashed her newborn's skull with a rock to keep her "perfect life", which included plans to begin classes at the University of Cincinnati.
They told jurors she had even searched online for "how to get rid of a baby".
Yet the defence said the child was stillborn and that sad and scared Brooke had kept her pregnancy and the birth a secret from her everyone - including her parents - out of fear.
Two weeks ago, Brooke sobbed as she was acquitted of aggravated murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment charges by the Warren County jury.
She had faced up to life in prison if she had been convicted on the most serious charge.
Although Brooke was found guilty of corpse abuse and sentenced to seven days in jail, she ended up walking free with three years' probation after being credited for time already served.
During her sentencing, she made a grovelling apology to her baby's dad, Trey Johnson, saying: "I am sorry. I can sometimes be selfish, but I'm getting better. I'm forever sorry."
Parents' shock at secret birth
During Brooke's trial, the court heard that she only told a doctor about her baby's stillbirth. Her family and friends claimed they didn't even know she was pregnant.
It was only when the medic reported the incident to police that the remains of Brooke's child were uncovered in her family's backyard in July 2017.
The defence claimed Brooke had kept her pregnancy and the birth a secret out of fear.
And last week, the former cheerleader's anguished mum and dad insisted their daughter did what she believed was right in an interview with CBS 48 Hours.
Her father, Scott, told the programme: "She did what she thought she needed to do. Maybe, outside looking in, that was wrong, but in her mind, she just delivered a stillborn baby."
The couple also told of how their lives have been "completely turned upside down" - and described their shock at discovering their terrified daughter had given birth in secret.
"I couldn't feel my body. I could not get up," mum Kim recalled of the moment she found out.
"How could that happen? I've seen her every day. I look at her. I talk to her. I hug her. I don't know when it hit me but I was a grandmother and I never had any of the benefits of it."
Her anguished parents have repeatedly protested her innocenceCredit: Court Handout Assistant prosecutor Julie Kraft presents an image from the autopsy of Brooke's babyCredit: AP:Associated Press"Facebook turned into Hatebook"
Amid the case, Brooke's family found themselves being "followed, stalked [and] harassed", as their daughter attracted global attention and was targeted by online trolls.
"Everyone wanted to know what was happening in our backyard," Kim told CBS.
"Facebook, to me, turned into Hatebook."
And the angry comments only spiralled as prosecutors played video footage in court of a police interview in which Brooke said her baby might have moved and made noises.
They also had a forensic pathologist testify for them that the child died from "homicidal violence."
Yet Cincinnati psychologist Stuart Bassman said "Skylar was being manipulated" into making false statements during interrogations, and that she was a vulnerable, immature person.
Ultimately, jurors sided with Brooke and she is now back with her family.
Yet for local mums like Molly, her acquittal and the trauma she has been through doesn't alleviate their concern when they see her approaching their children.
Molly, pictured with Bradley and Amayah, claims Brooke was shopping alone and appeared "carefree"Credit: Supplied The former cheerleader apparently told Molly that little Amayah was "so cute"Credit: SuppliedAn unexpected encounter
"[Brooke] walked in and was waving and smiling at Adalyn," recalled one mum, who encountered Brooke in a Chipotle Mexican Grill.
"Sad to know her daughter would've been about Adalyn's age."
For wrestling coach Molly, it was a last-minute trip to a used clothing store with her daughter Amayah, son Bradley, nine, and husband Brennon that brought her face-to-face with Brooke.
Molly took her daughter to look at shoes, and was stunned when Brooke emerged and commented on Amayah's hair.
"I get to the end of the aisle when Brooke herself came face to face with me," Molly recalled.
"I squeezed my daughter's hand and picked her up. Brooke said, 'Excuse me. Oh, she's so cute, I love her hair!', about my daughter."
Too shocked to respond, Molly quickly carried Amayah away.
Molly found coming face-to-face with Brooke an emotional ordealCredit: Supplied Molly is expecting a baby herself - above, Bradley and Amayah proudly hold a pregnancy scanCredit: SuppliedFor Molly, her encounter with Brooke was particularly emotional because she's pregnant herself.
The mum, who is due to give birth in February next year, said: "It made me want to hold my babies even closer."
MOLLY Witcher was shopping with her three-year-old daughter when the petite, blonde-haired stranger stepped in front of them and cooed: "Oh, she's so cute!"
It was a sweet remark that would make most mums proud - yet Molly quickly scooped up her little girl and walked away. For the stranger was Brooke Skylar Richardson, the cheerleader who has been ostracised by locals for burying her own baby.
Former cheerleader Brooke Skylar Richardson buried her own newborn baby in her backyardCredit: AP:Associated Press Molly Witcher with her husband Brennon, son Bradley, nine, and three-year-old daughter AmayahCredit: SuppliedApproaching children the same age as her own baby would have been seems to be the poignant act of a young woman who is grieving - but local mothers have reported being 'nervous' about her behaviour.
"My heart dropped, I was overcome with a huge rush of sadness, anger, resentment," Molly, 27, exclusively tells Sun Online, recalling the moment she saw Brooke nine days ago.
Brooke, 20, was once adored in her hometown of Carlisle, Ohio, where she lived in a large, detached house with her family, drove a convertible and was on her school's cheerleading team.
But her seemingly perfect life was shattered in 2017 when she was arrested and charged with murdering her newborn daughter, Annabelle, and hiding her body in her backyard.
After being cleared of murder earlier this month but charged with gross abuse of a corpse, grieving Brooke is desperately trying to rebuild her life through partying, shopping and dining out - yet her mother reveals she is being hounded by ghouls sending her death threats.
Brooke, pictured after her arrest, is now back home with her familyCredit: AP:Associated Press Brooke's family shared this image from when she was eight months pregnant in April 2017Credit: Court HandoutDeath threats and abuse
As Brooke tries to move on, she faces an uphill battle. Her family are still receiving death threats from the public, while Brooke's pals claim she has 'aged 10 years' due to abusive online comments and memes.
Brooke's mum, Kim Richardson, tells Sun Online that her family continues to receive death threats despite the verdict in the case, describing the situation as "beyond difficult".
"I wonder if people even watched the trial," she exclusively tells us.
"They say horrible things and death threats."
Spared jail by the judge, she has been spotted out and about trying to regain a normal life - including "partying" with pals just hours after her sentencing.
She was seen hanging out with girl friends during a football game at Carlisle High School - her alma mater - that Friday night, MailOnline reported.
Since then, she's also been seen clothes shopping and dining out.
Yet Brooke's friends say her "regret" over what happened remains written all over her face.
In a recent Facebook post, one friend slammed: "I'm sick of seeing all these memes about Skylar. You guys are ruining her life. She was found innocent why can't you guys get that?
"She's gone through enough the past two and a half years. She doesn't even look like the same girl we knew and grew to love. You can see the stress and regret all over her face.
"She looks like she aged 10 years."
Molly says her heart "dropped" when she spotted Brooke inside a used clothing storeCredit: Supplied Brooke, 20, from Carlisle, Ohio, was on her high school's cheerleading teamCredit: Supplied Her baby's body was found in the backyard of her family's large, detached houseCredit: ABCHow trial divided a village
Brooke's trial divided people in her hometown, where her family were well-known and respected.
A popular and high-achieving cheerleader who "loved kids", she was suddenly the subject of Facebook pages devoted to her case, with some critics branding her a "baby killer".
Former schoolmates shunned the young mum as she was accused of killing and burying Annabelle after secretly giving birth to the infant alone in the bathroom of her home in May 2017.
And the outrage only escalated when prosecutors claimed the then-18-year-old had smashed her baby's skull with a rock just days after her high school prom in a bid to keep her "perfect life".
The defence denied this and insisted the child was stillborn. But even now, after Brooke's acquittal, some, including a cop who probed the case, still claim she killed her newborn.
At the trial she apologised to the baby's father, Trey Johnson, saying she was 'forever sorry'.
Brooke was photographed just before her school prom, with a clear bumpCredit: Court Handout Brooke sobbed as she was acquitted of aggravated murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment chargesCredit: Court Handout Brooke walks with her parents Kim and Scott before the closing arguments in her trialCredit: AP:Associated PressHow Brooke walked free from court
CHEERLEADER Brooke was just 18 when she was accused of killing and burying her baby daughter, Annabelle.
She gave birth to the infant alone in the bathroom of her home in May 2017, just days after her high school prom.
Prosecutors claimed the teenager had smashed her newborn's skull with a rock to keep her "perfect life", which included plans to begin classes at the University of Cincinnati.
They told jurors she had even searched online for "how to get rid of a baby".
Yet the defence said the child was stillborn and that sad and scared Brooke had kept her pregnancy and the birth a secret from her everyone - including her parents - out of fear.
Two weeks ago, Brooke sobbed as she was acquitted of aggravated murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment charges by the Warren County jury.
She had faced up to life in prison if she had been convicted on the most serious charge.
Although Brooke was found guilty of corpse abuse and sentenced to seven days in jail, she ended up walking free with three years' probation after being credited for time already served.
During her sentencing, she made a grovelling apology to her baby's dad, Trey Johnson, saying: "I am sorry. I can sometimes be selfish, but I'm getting better. I'm forever sorry."
Parents' shock at secret birth
During Brooke's trial, the court heard that she only told a doctor about her baby's stillbirth. Her family and friends claimed they didn't even know she was pregnant.
It was only when the medic reported the incident to police that the remains of Brooke's child were uncovered in her family's backyard in July 2017.
The defence claimed Brooke had kept her pregnancy and the birth a secret out of fear.
And last week, the former cheerleader's anguished mum and dad insisted their daughter did what she believed was right in an interview with CBS 48 Hours.
Her father, Scott, told the programme: "She did what she thought she needed to do. Maybe, outside looking in, that was wrong, but in her mind, she just delivered a stillborn baby."
The couple also told of how their lives have been "completely turned upside down" - and described their shock at discovering their terrified daughter had given birth in secret.
"I couldn't feel my body. I could not get up," mum Kim recalled of the moment she found out.
"How could that happen? I've seen her every day. I look at her. I talk to her. I hug her. I don't know when it hit me but I was a grandmother and I never had any of the benefits of it."
Her anguished parents have repeatedly protested her innocenceCredit: Court Handout Assistant prosecutor Julie Kraft presents an image from the autopsy of Brooke's babyCredit: AP:Associated Press"Facebook turned into Hatebook"
Amid the case, Brooke's family found themselves being "followed, stalked [and] harassed", as their daughter attracted global attention and was targeted by online trolls.
"Everyone wanted to know what was happening in our backyard," Kim told CBS.
"Facebook, to me, turned into Hatebook."
And the angry comments only spiralled as prosecutors played video footage in court of a police interview in which Brooke said her baby might have moved and made noises.
They also had a forensic pathologist testify for them that the child died from "homicidal violence."
Yet Cincinnati psychologist Stuart Bassman said "Skylar was being manipulated" into making false statements during interrogations, and that she was a vulnerable, immature person.
Ultimately, jurors sided with Brooke and she is now back with her family.
Yet for local mums like Molly, her acquittal and the trauma she has been through doesn't alleviate their concern when they see her approaching their children.
Molly, pictured with Bradley and Amayah, claims Brooke was shopping alone and appeared "carefree"Credit: Supplied The former cheerleader apparently told Molly that little Amayah was "so cute"Credit: SuppliedAn unexpected encounter
"[Brooke] walked in and was waving and smiling at Adalyn," recalled one mum, who encountered Brooke in a Chipotle Mexican Grill.
"Sad to know her daughter would've been about Adalyn's age."
For wrestling coach Molly, it was a last-minute trip to a used clothing store with her daughter Amayah, son Bradley, nine, and husband Brennon that brought her face-to-face with Brooke.
Molly took her daughter to look at shoes, and was stunned when Brooke emerged and commented on Amayah's hair.
"I get to the end of the aisle when Brooke herself came face to face with me," Molly recalled.
"I squeezed my daughter's hand and picked her up. Brooke said, 'Excuse me. Oh, she's so cute, I love her hair!', about my daughter."
Too shocked to respond, Molly quickly carried Amayah away.
Molly found coming face-to-face with Brooke an emotional ordealCredit: Supplied Molly is expecting a baby herself - above, Bradley and Amayah proudly hold a pregnancy scanCredit: SuppliedFor Molly, her encounter with Brooke was particularly emotional because she's pregnant herself.
The mum, who is due to give birth in February next year, said: "It made me want to hold my babies even closer."