Chester woman charged with 35 years in prison after charge of homicide by child abuse

A woman from Chester was sentenced to 35 years in prison after facing a charge of homicide by child abuse. Joyce Renee Stover age 34 got the verdict from a jury of guilty Wednesday. She was arrested and charged back in October of 2021. In court it was explained that DSS had an open case and Safety Plan on Stover because of her extensive drug use and addiction. Authorities say while Stover was home alone with her 11 month old baby Novah, she used fentanyl and the baby ingested a lethal amount. An autopsy was performed, and toxicology results confirmed baby Novah died from fentanyl toxicity ruling her death a homicide

The case was prosecuted by Sixth Circuit Deputy Solicitor Candice A. Lively. At sentencing, Judge Gibbons was presented with Stover’s drug treatment paperwork. He acknowledged that there are treatment programs that do work, and he puts addicts in those programs, however, he emphasized “the programs work if you want them to work.” Judge Gibbons told Stover “I have a duty to protect this community from people like you who use drugs and leave tragedy in the wake of their addiction. Look at the damage you left…You killed your baby. No more excuses”.