Infant death suspect’s court date rescheduled

Published 4:14 pm Monday, November 3, 2014

By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 23-year-old Alabaster woman who has been charged with the February death of her infant will appear in court in February 2015 after her original Nov. 3 court date was continued.

Wilford

Wilford

The Alabaster Police Department arrested Sommer Nicole Wilford, who lists an address in the 100 block of Carriage Circle, and charged her with one count of reckless murder on Feb. 28 after responding to a report of a one-vehicle accident near the intersection of Alabama 119 and Kent Dairy Road.

Wilford was scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 3, but her case was continued until Feb. 2, 2014 at 8:30 a.m.

According to Alabaster Police, when officers arrived on the scene of the Feb. 28 crash, they found Wilford “standing outside the vehicle that was engulfed in flames.” After Alabaster firefighters extinguished the fire, they discovered the body of 19-month-old Jayden Allen inside the vehicle.

Wilford was released from the Shelby County Jail on March 20 after multiple individuals put their properties up as collateral on her $300,000 bond.

About two months ago, a court-ordered drug test revealed Wilford was pregnant. Following his standard procedure for those who arrive late to their court hearings, Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Dan Reeves ordered Wilford to be transported to the Shelby County Jail to take a drug test. The test results were negative for drugs, but revealed Wilford is pregnant.

In April, Reeves ordered Wilford to take random drug and alcohol screenings at the Shelby County Work Release Facility while she is out on bond awaiting trial. The fees for the drug and alcohol screenings have been waived.

In his motion requesting random drug and alcohol tests be added as a condition of Wilford’s bond, Bradley wrote Wilford “is alleged to have been under the influence of both drugs and alcohol, well in excess of the legal limit, at the time of the death of Jayden Brodie Allen and that this level of intoxication directly contributed to and/or caused the death of” the infant.

Reckless murder is a Class A felony. If convicted, Wilford could face between 10 years and life in prison.