Lauderdale County Woman Receives Life Sentence: In Florence, Alabama, Yalrick Pride faced the consequences for the tragic beating death of her ex-boyfriend’s 3-year-old son in 2020. The Lauderdale County judge sentenced Pride to life in prison with the possibility of parole on October 31.
Pride, along with her boyfriend Blake Townsend, was charged with felony murder after attempting to stage the death of Kaiden Gardner as a hot car incident. The autopsy, however, revealed that the young boy’s death resulted from trauma caused by a blunt object.
During the trial, interrogation videos showed Pride denying any involvement in the late-night incident on August 12, 2020. Contrary to her claims, the autopsy indicated that Kaiden died around 8 p.m., three hours before the 911 call. The severity of the injuries to the 3-year-old shocked the coroner, according to Florence Police.
Despite a plea deal for a life sentence made in December 2022, Townsend sought a lesser sentence, but his life sentence was upheld. Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly emphasized that both Pride and Townsend deserved life sentences, surrendering their freedoms for the rest of their lives.
Kaiden’s mother, Leslie Garner, spoke about how Halloween was his favorite holiday and how he is now at peace on this day. She expressed the profound impact on her life, unable to sleep some nights as she envisioned her child’s lifeless body. Garner lamented the loss of half of her heart and part of her soul.
Addressing Townsend, Garner pointed out his failure and then directly addressed Pride, questioning the lack of a sign that her child was welcome there. She asserted that her child’s life mattered as well.
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After Pride’s sentencing, she took the opportunity to speak, offering an apology to Garner and seeking forgiveness. Pride expressed her love for Kaiden, acknowledging the lasting impact on her life. She admitted being too cowardly to save Kaiden from his father but insisted that she was not a monster.
Pride directed some of her words to Townsend, calling him a coward and asserting that the family deserved the truth. She vowed not to remain silent until the correct justice was given to Kaiden.