BUCKHANNON, W.Va. An Upshur County couple has been sentenced in connection with two shaken baby deaths in 2022.
Thomas Cunnigham, 29, and Ciera Gillespie, 27, had a one-year-old and a two-year-old that died at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital about six weeks apart in 2022 from what doctors said was shaken baby syndrome.
Cunningham was given two consecutive 15-year-to-life prison sentences for the death of a child by a parent or guardian.
Gillespie has been ordered to serve Gillespie consecutive 3-15 year sentences for two counts of child neglect resulting in death and an additional 20 years of supervised release.
The two were arrested in December 2022 after the two-year-old died; additional charges were added after the death of the one-year-old days later.
They were indicted during the May 2024 term of the Upshur County grand jury.