OKLAHOMA CITY, OK — Holly Sheppard, 29, is serving two life sentences after one child in her care died and another was seriously injured, authorities reported. The sentences stem from separate incidents spanning 2018 and 2023.
2023 Child Abuse Case
In June 2023, Sheppard was hired to care for a 2-month-old baby. The infant was brought to the hospital with internal bleeding. Sheppard reportedly gave conflicting accounts of how the child was injured.
She was arrested in 2024 and pleaded guilty to child abuse, receiving a life sentence with the possibility of release after 25 years. The baby survived.
Reopened 2018 Infant Death Case
Authorities noted similarities between the 2023 case and the 2018 death of a 22-day-old infant under Sheppard’s care. Back in 2018, Sheppard advertised her babysitting services on Facebook. The newborn suffered “non-accidental abusive head trauma” and died a few days later. That case was initially not prosecuted.
Following the 2023 incident, prosecutors reopened the 2018 case, and Sheppard pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in June 2025. She was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of release after 35 years.
Current Status
Sheppard is now serving two life sentences at the Oklahoma County Detention Center. Authorities highlighted the repeated nature of her abuse and the danger she posed to children under her care.
