Matagorda County District Attorney's Office Press Release
After less than one hour of deliberation, a jury convicted Lauralei Brittney Crouch (33) of the capital murder of a young child, Wyatt Pickett.
The child turned two years of age less than two weeks before he was killed.
The jury heard evidence about the killing from Texas Rangers Louis Caltzontzint and Thomas Norsworthy and Matagorda County Sheriff’s Sergeant Courtney Harvey.
During the weeklong trial, First Assistant District Attorney Lindsay Deshotels provided more than six hours of video statements during which Crouch initially lied to investigators.
“She concocted a lie complete with minute details about the color of the slide from which Wyatt fell and the people who were present,” said Deshotels.
She stayed with the lie throughout the first two-hour interview, according to prosecutors.
“Even defense counsel admitted she was a liar,” said District Attorney Steven Reis.
First responders Richard Wahlquist, David Lewis, and Vic Collins described the child as covered with bruises and apparently already deceased upon their arrival on July 25, 2022 at a Blessing residence.
Collins said Wyatt was “a badly beaten baby.”
The child’s grandmother, Melissa Pickett told the jury that Wyatt was one of a set of twins in the custody of their father, Randall Pickett.
Crouch lived with Pickett and the twins in Melissa’s Victoria home for a few weeks before moving to Crouch’s residence in Blessing, according to the grandmother’s testimony.
Video statements from Crouch indicated the move was made only a few months before the child’s death.
Two separate forensic pathologists from the Fort Bend County Medical Examiner’s Office told the jury about the extensive injuries to the young child.
Dr. Varsha Podduturi agreed the autopsy “painted a picture of chronic abuse.”
Podduturi described 143 separate bruises on the body of the child including damage to the mouth, eyes, anus, area surrounding the brain, and an adrenal gland.
Some of the injuries were older than 48 hours and at least five days old, according to the medical examiner. Podduturi agreed that some of the injuries could have been sustained as few as minutes before the child’s death.
During video statements by Crouch, she claimed that the child’s father, Randall Pickett, had beaten the child several times over the course of weeks, including several times before going to work the day before Wyatt’s death.
During later arguments, prosecutors pointed out that Crouch’s explanations that the injuries were caused only by Pickett could be called into question by her own text messages in the early morning hours while Pickett was at work.
“You kinda turned me into a monster you know,” she texted to Pickett, “I’ve never been this person till you came along.”
“And for the record,” texted Crouch, “I didn’t do anything to him that we haven’t already done.”
“I’m worried I really hurt him,” she texted, “Cause if hes dead in the am I’m turning myself in. This is my fault I’ll take full responsibility.”
She didn’t, said Reis, “instead, the first thing she did was lie to the police with a fantastic tale in which she made herself the hero.”
Another forensic pathologist, Chief Medical Examiner Stephen Pustilnik further described the injuries in the context of the text messages which were sent by Crouch from approximately 7:00 p.m. on July 24 until 7:00 a.m. on the day of Wyatt’s death.
The text messages provided a pretty accurate lay description of someone dying from neurological damage, said Pustilnik.
When asked about the massive damage to an adrenal gland, Pustilnik estimated that the child would likely have died within an hour of the injury.
“If a third party observed the amount of force used to cause that injury,” explained Pustilnik, it would be apparent the injured person would need immediate medical care.
Crouch was represented by three appointed defense attorneys: Michael Diaz, Wesley Chase Clayton, and Sara Loera.
Defense expert, Dr. Erik Christenson testified that he believed the cause of death was related only to head injuries on the child – that the adrenal injury was not likely a cause of death.
During cross examination by Reis, Christenson admitted that, had there been no other injuries visible on the child, he would have concluded the adrenal gland injury was the cause of death.
Defense arguments by all three defense attorneys centered on the culpability of the child’s father for the excessive abuse and trauma.
“If anything,” the attorneys argued, “Lauralei is guilty of not seeking medical assistance for the child. But that’s not what she’s charged with.”
In closing argument, Deshotels directed the jury to a specific statement which could be heard in the background of the 911 call made by Pickett.
“You can hear her voice,” said Deshotels referring to Crouch, “she said, ‘I knew I’d do it if I f***ing broke!’”
“In the text messages,” said Deshotels, “she told Pickett “I’m scared I’ma kill them one day.”
Without minimizing the culpability and abuse by the child’s father, Reis explained that Crouch knew that the injury she inflicted on the child would cause death.
“And after it did,” he said, “she concocted the lie that she and Pickett would tell the police.”
The jury requested a few of the more than 200 items of evidence for review before returning their verdict of guilty.
Just after 6:00 p.m. on October 14, 2024, presiding Judge Ben Hardin of the 23rd Judicial District Court imposed the automatic sentence of life without possibility of parole and remanded Crouch to the Sheriff for transport to prison.
Asked about Pickett’s case, Reis explained that he is likely to be tried during 2025 for the offense of capital murder of his son.
For additional information, see Cause #22-023-325; State of Texas vs. Lauralei Brittney Crouch in the District Clerk’s Office.