CHESTER, S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – Joyce Renee Stover, 34, of Chester was sentenced to 35 years this week after facing a charge of Homicide by Child Abuse.
The Solicitor’s office telling us the sentence was handed down Wednesday afternoon after a jury returned a verdict of guilty during the Chester County General Sessions Court presided over by the Honorable Brian M. Gibbons.
Stover was arrested and charged with Homicide by Child Abuse for the October 30, 2021, homicide of her 11-month-old child, Novah Stover. Stover was living in Chester County along with her mother, Sharon Jordan.
In court it was explained that DSS had an open case and Safety Plan on Stover because of her extensive drug use and addiction. On October 30, 2021 authorities say while Stover was home alone with baby Novah, she used fentanyl and the baby ingested a lethal amount.
Chester County Emergency Responders from West Chester attempted to revive the baby but could not. An autopsy was performed, and toxicology results confirmed baby Novah died from fentanyl toxicity ruling her death a homicide. Stover was arrested on November 15, 2021.
The case was prosecuted by Sixth Circuit Deputy Solicitor Candice A. Lively. At sentencing, Judge Gibbons was presented with Stover’s drug treatment paperwork. He acknowledged that there are treatment programs that do work, and he puts addicts in those programs, however, he emphasized “the programs work if you want them to work.” Judge Gibbons told Stover “I have a duty to protect this community from people like you who use drugs and leave tragedy in the wake of their addiction. Look at the damage you left…You killed your baby. No more excuses”.
