Smith sentenced to 18 months in prison

Facing a violation of her community supervision, Jasmine Smith accepted the state’s recommendation to serve 18 months in prison following a hearing this week.

Smith, 28, of Jack County, was sentenced Tuesday, Jan. 14 to 18 months in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, with 85 days of credit for time served in the Young County Jail. She was also ordered to pay a fine of $750 and court costs of $515.

During a hearing on motion to proceed to adjudicate Tuesday, it was alleged that Smith had violated her community supervision by failing to report to the community supervision department for her initial intake.

Upon her jail release Oct. 29, 2024, Smith was to report to the community supervision department for intake, but failed to do so. She still had not reported to complete her intake Nov. 12, 2024, which was instructed to her a second time on or about Nov. 8, 2024.

Smith accepted a plea agreement Oct. 29 of three years deferred adjudication community supervision for criminally negligent homicide. The agreement was following an Olney Police Department and Texas Rangers investigation.

The investigation began March 29, 2023 when an OPD officer responded to a residence on E. Springcreek Road for an 8-month-old female that was unresponsive and not breathing. The officer made contact with Smith who was walking toward the officer with the baby in her arms and was cold to the touch.

Smith was told that due to the circumstances of the death, an investigation would have to be conducted, and she voluntarily gave consent to search her camper.

Members of OPD noticed a compressed indented mark on the infant’s right temple, what appeared to be two smaller indented marks on its upper forehead and a discoloration of the left cheek. Child Protective Services (CPS) and the Texas Rangers were contacted by members of OPD.

Smith was interviewed and stated the child was in a bassinet in the rear of the trailer. When she woke up around 5 a.m. and checked on the child she noticed it was not breathing and started CPR for 20 minutes before calling 911.

The 90th Judicial District Attorney investigator and an OPD detective traveled March 30, 2023 to the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s office to witness the autopsy. The examiner stated the marks on the head of the child were post-mortem and did not contribute to the cause of death, which was undetermined pending toxicology results.

Smith contacted the Texas Ranger and said the real location where the child was sleeping was actually in bed with her, and when she woke up the baby was hanging off the side of the bed.

The Texas Ranger noticed a long wooden bow on the side of the bed where the child’s head would have been which could have been consistent with the indentations on the child’s head.

A Young County grand jury indicted Smith at the end of 2023. In the indictment it states Smith caused the death of the child “...by putting the child to sleep in an unsafe bedding.”

Smith was arrested Nov. 22, 2023 in Jack County on the charge of criminally negligent homicide, according to a joint statement released from the Texas Department of Public Safety and OPD.