Iowa Supreme Court denies review of Hiawatha woman’s conviction in toddler’s 2010 death

DES MOINES - A Hiawatha woman convicted in the 2010 death of toddler Kamryn Schlitter, who died from head injuries caused by abuse, will not have a further review by the Iowa Supreme Court.

The Iowa Court of Appeals in 2015 upheld Amy Parmer's conviction by a Linn County jury in 2013 for involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment resulting in death. She is serving up to 50 years in prison.

Parmer, 32, asked the court earlier this year for further review but the justices denied the request on Thursday, First Assistant Linn County Attorney Nick Maybanks said. Maybanks said he 'is pleased that the conviction against Ms. Parmer will stand. We believe the jury reached an appropriate and fair result.”

The appeals court dismissed seven claims by Parmer. Among those, she argued there was insufficient evidence and inconsistencies for the states's alternate theories of who was responsible for Kamryn's abuse and death.

The appeals court also upheld the conviction against Zyriah Schlitter, 29, Kamryn's father, for involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment resulting in death. He was also sentenced to up to 50 years in prison.

According to that ruling, the prosecution argued and presented evidence that either one could have been responsible for the final blows causing the toddler's fatal injury or the other injuries leading up to her death.

The Iowa Supreme Court, however, overturned Schlitter's conviction last month and granted him a new trial based on his lawyer's failure to ask the trial judge for an acquittal on one of four theories laid out about who committed the child abuse and how to prove child endangerment resulting in death.

Both Maybanks and appellate lawyer Shellie Kniepfer agreed the ruling was somewhat confusing, but they believe the conviction on involuntary manslaughter stands and that charged won't be retried.

Maybanks also said the attorney general's request for a rehearing in that ruling was also denied Thursday.

Maybanks said he is planning on meeting with Kamryn's family members and law enforcement as soon as possible to 'discuss all options going forward.”

'Although this has been long and definitely trying for Kamryn's family, we maintain respect for the process and faith in our system of justice,” Maybanks added.