A Pennsylvania mother has been sentenced to prison for kidnapping her 6-year-old daughter and giving her dangerous drugs after believing they were being targeted by a nonexistent serial killer.
Skye Naggy, 32, pleaded guilty but mentally ill in January to multiple charges, including attempted homicide, kidnapping, and child endangerment. On Friday, she was sentenced to between 10 and 20 years in prison, according to the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office.
The Incident
In November 2022, Naggy, who was supposed to be receiving mental health treatment, took her daughter to a remote trail near Loyalhanna Lake outside Pittsburgh. She forced the child to ingest opiates and fentanyl, believing God had warned her she was going to die soon and that a serial killer was after them.
Police tracked Naggy’s phone and rescued the girl before she died. A Bible was found next to them, and tests confirmed the child had drugs in her system.
Mental Health and Court Proceedings
Investigators determined Naggy suffers from schizophrenia. At sentencing, she said, “My only goal was to save my daughter from a serial killer… I did not realize I had schizophrenia until it was too late.”
Prosecutors argued she remains a danger to herself and others and should remain in custody for treatment. Her attorneys asked for leniency, noting she had no prior criminal record and had not been in mental health care before.
Sentencing Outcome
Defense requested a five-year sentence, while prosecutors sought 15 to 40 years. The judge sentenced Naggy to 10 to 20 years, crediting her for the approximately 900 days already served.
The child is now in the care of a relative.
