Exclusive: Baby Boy Horry father disagrees with argument for prison time in baby’s death

The mother of Baby Boy Horry, an infant found dead in 2008 off S.C. 544 in Conway, will go to prison for four years.

Jennifer Sahr was sentenced to 10 years suspended to four years and is also ordered to pay the $1,700 to the Horry County Coroner’s Office.

Sahr, 34, a Vermont native who lives in Florida, and former Coastal Carolina University student, pleaded guilty through an Alford plea to voluntary manslaughter last year.

But rather than sentencing her then, Judge Paul Burch ordered a pre-sentence investigation to uncover more information. The maximum Sahr could have faced was 30 years.

Baby Boy Horry was first found in a shopping bag off the highway by five construction workers. In 2020, through forensic testing, investigators arrested Sahr and initially charged her with homicide by child abuse.

The autopsy report listed the cause of death as undetermined, according to the state.

Investigators also located the father, Ronald Woodham III, during this time and contacted him. Woodham has since spoken out about how the prolonged case has affected his life.

He appeared in court Thursday afternoon with his father. Woodham spoke to The Sun News Thursday about the sentencing.

Woodham said that while he disagreed with the argument of the defense, he was OK with the sentencing.

“I’m just glad this chapter is over with and I can start the healing process,” Woodham said.

Sahr’s family was also present in court Thursday morning.

In case of baby’s death, ‘Nobody wins,’ judge says

During the prosecution’s argument, Horry County Solicitor Scott Hixon asked the judge for a sentence of 23 years. He argued that Sahr’s education and community involvement did not matter in this case, and that a sentence should “send a message” instead.

The pre-sentence investigation report recommended incarceration, Hixon said.

Defense attorney Morgan Martin argued that this case was not one to be “tough on crime with,” and recommended probation instead.

“You can’t send a message to 19-year-old girls,” Martin said.

Judge Burch asked Sahr if she wanted to make a statement.

Looking around at the courtroom, Sahr stood up and tearfully apologized for what she did.

After hearing from both sides, Judge Burch said that the most important people in the case were Sahr’s children, both under 10.

Having been an EMT, an officer and a lawyer, Burch said he had never dealt with anything like this case. He said he had difficulty looking for similar cases.

“Nobody wins,” he said.

Sahr will serve time at the Department of Corrections in Columbia. She will be credited for time on house arrest, which will determine Sahr’s exact prison sentence.

This story was originally published June 15, 2023 at 2:45 PM.