Woman accused of killing 2-year-old daughter gets 30 years in prison

Rachel Fryer, the mother accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter and burying the child in a suitcase, took a plea deal Tuesday and plead guilty to second-degree murder.
Fryer was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a child, child abuse, tampering with evidence and the mishandling of human remains. Although she was facing the death penalty, her plea deal allowed her to be sentenced to 30 years in prison.
The charges came after her 2-year-old daughter Tariji Gordon was reported missing Feb. 10, 2014. Her body was found two days later buried in a suitcase in Putnam County.
Sanford police said when they interviewed Fryer she admitted to burying the child in Crescent City but said she had found the child unresponsive and her efforts to resuscitate her did not work.
She was initially charged with aggravated child abuse, however a medical examiner determined Gordon had sustained a head injury and there was evidence of abuse, including two bite marks that matched Fryer’s teeth.
Fryer had been under investigation once before, when Tariji’s twin brother died under mysterious circumstances. In that case the medical examiner determined the brother had suffocated, likely from Fryer rolling over on him. The death was ruled an accident.
Tariji’s death came less than three months after her and three other children were returned to Fryer following a two-year stay in foster care.
Fryer has eight children, one of which she gave birth to while awaiting her trial. Prosecutors said they hoped once Fryer was out of prison she would be beyond child-bearing years.
In addition to her 30-year sentence she was also given a 30-year probation following her release.

- Rachel Delinski, Herald Publisher/Editor, RDelinski@MySanfordHerald.com.