LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
After four grueling years, a case revolving around the death of an Edgar County man and his infant child is coming to a close.
On March 1, 2021, Michael Phipps and his two-month-old daughter were killed in the midst of a house fire in Vermillion. Two other children were also injured in the fire.
After a careful investigation of the home and circumstances, Stephanie Sanders, a resident of the home and the mother of the infant, was arrested and charged with a Class X felony aggravated arson/knowing people are present, four Class M felony murder counts, a Class 1 felony residential arson and two Class 3 felony counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Sanders appeared in the Edgar County Courthouse with her attorney, Rich Kash, at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 21, to enter a blind plea.
“If you plead guilty, there is not going to be a trial, a bench or jury trial. You would be waiving that and giving up your right to confront witnesses and cross-examine,” Vermilion County Judge Charles Mockbee IV said. “If you plead guilty, you will be acknowledging that the state has sufficient evidence to convict you of the offenses you plead guilty to.”
Special Prosecutor Kate Kurtz and Mike Havera were also present in the courtroom. Under the judge’s direction, Havera presented the state’s factual basis for prosecuting Sanders.
“If this case were to proceed to trial, that state would be prepared to call witnesses who would testify to the fact that on or about the morning of March 1, 2021, the Paris Fire Department, Paris Community Fire Protection District, as well as other first responders were dispatched to a residential structure fire located at 102 Water Street in Vermillion County,” Havera said. “Upon arrival, the residence was engulfed in flames, and one adult female and two minor children were outside the structure.”
Havera’s statement detailed the tragic death of Phipps and his infant child inside the home, as well as information from a special investigator with the Illinois State Police and examinations of the structure from a special agent with the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.
“The reports, as well as the investigative reports, were examined by multiple, independent fire science experts hired by both the prosecution and the defense,” Havera said. “The cause of the fire by all experts was found to be undetermined, although at first, there were differing opinions as to the origin of the fire. By the conclusion of all fire experts, the origin was determined to be inside the bathroom.”
During the course of the investigation, Havara said an interview was conducted with the defendant, and she was recorded making statements indicating that she and Michael had been in a verbal dispute throughout most of the day and that she had been reckless in both thoughts and actions, specifically that “she had thoughts of killing herself prior to that day and that she was not in the right mind to be caring for children.”
“She also made statements that she and Michael had smoked methamphetamine inside the bathroom of the house while the children were present inside of the residence and that they had accidentally caught some toilet paper on fire, which they thought they had put out,” Havera said.
Havera’s proffer also shared how both the defendant and the deceased were outside of the home when they heard the sound of “glass breaking” and noticed the house was on fire. The duo immediately went into the home.
“Michael entered into the master bedroom to save (the infant), which he was unable to do due to smoke inhalation,” Havera said. “A forensic pathologist conducted the autopsy of both Michael and the infant and determined the cause of death in both cases to be thermal injuries and carbon monoxide.”
In a rebuttal to the state’s details, the defendant’s attorney asked the judge to remember that his client had risked her life in the fire as well.
“In regards to the other children Miss Sanders did break out a window and get them out,” Kash said.
The Judge verified Sanders’ age, mental status, medical and educational history, and cognitive abilities before asking her if she understood the agreement she was entering into.
“Your plea must be free and voluntary, something that you are doing on your own,” Mockbee said.
In the state of Illinois, a blind plea is one without a set sentence. Mockbee carefully described the potential outcomes Sanders could face if she were to agree and submit a guilty plea during her appearance. The potential sentences range from the possibility of only probation to a maximum sentence of 14 years with the possibility of fines up to $25,000.
If she were sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections for any amount of time, she would have a one-year mandatory supervised release after her sentence was completed. Vice versa, if she were to only receive probation or conditional discharge, she could serve up to 48 months.
“The charges I have here are a single count of endangering the health and life of a child, as well as two counts of involuntary manslaughter,” Mockbee read. He then asked Sanders how she would like to plea.
“Guilty,” Sanders said.
As part of her agreement with the state, all other charges, including the Class M Murder charge, will be voided.
The 30-year-old defendant will return to the courthouse at 9:30 a.m. on May 22 for sentencing.