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Woman found guilty for death of toddler in second trial

Photo: Shutterstock


Lincoln, IL – (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A Logan County woman arrested for the death of a toddler in February 2022 was found guilty in a second trial after the first trial was declared a mistrial.

24-year-old Cierra Coker was tried in August 2025 for the murder of 19-month-old Sophia Davis. That trial was declared a mistrial.

In February 2022, Coker was babysitting the toddler and two more children while their father – also Coker’s then boyfriend – was at work.

Later that day, Coker called Sophia’s mother and informed her the child was bleeding from the mouth and unresponsive. Sophia was transported to HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield where she died two days later.

An autopsy deemed the death suspicious, cause by blunt force traumatic brain injury. Coker was then arrested and charged with first degree murder.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul‘s office and Logan County State’s Attorney Bradley Hauge prosecuted this second trial.

Coker is scheduled to be sentenced October 6th.

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