Woman convicted of killing kids granted parole

ALTON, Ill. (KMOV.com/AP) – After three decades in prison, a Metro East woman who admitted to killing her two infant daughters could be out of the Logan Correctional Center in northeast Springfield as soon as Thursday night.

Paula Sims’ 6-week-old daughter Heather’s body was found in a trash can in May 1989 in West Alton. Sims was convicted at the time and sentenced to life without parole. She later admitted to also murdering her 13-day-old daughter Loralei three years earlier.

Stone argued Sims committed the crimes while suffering from postpartum psychosis, a rare mental illness that causes some new mothers to experience delusions, hallucinations and paranoia. Recent changes in Illinois law allow postpartum psychosis and depression to be considered as mitigating factors in sentencing.

Sims was granted a commutation by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker in March of 2021 which made her eligible for parole. On Thursday, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board granted her parole in a 12-1 vote after an hour of testimony and discussion. About 25 people attended the hearing in support of Sims. No one attended in opposition. She could be out as soon as Thursday night, depending on how long it’ll take to get the parole paperwork to the prison. 

Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine sent a five-page letter to the review board “strenuously” opposing Sims’ release. He argued that Sims lied about her crimes for years to avoid punishment and confessed only after she was found guilty of murder and wanted to avoid the death penalty.

According to her attorney Jed Stone, two clinical psychologist have been working with Sims for the last 15 or 20 years and argue her postpartum psychosis wore off and she is no longer a danger to society.

Following the commutation, State Senator Rachelle Crowe said she was horrified by the decision. “Sims was charged with first-degree murder and imprisoned because she poses a significant threat to our community. That she may soon be released to walk among us is not only insulting to those whose lives were destroyed by her actions, but also endangers the integrity of our criminal justice system as a whole,” she said.