Mom who lived in Palmdale and convicted in toddler’s death loses parole bid

A state parole board panel denied parole on Wednesday, May 7, for a woman who lived in Palmdale and was convicted of second-degree murder for the death of her 23-month-old son who lingered in a vegetative state for more than a month after being beaten by her live-in boyfriend.

Rosie Lee Wilson, now 31, is serving a 15-years-to-life state prison sentence as a result of her May 2017 conviction on one count each of murder and child abuse involving her son, Anthony, who was on life support for about 45 days before dying in October 2014.

Co-defendant Brandon Williams, now 35, was convicted of first-degree murder, torture and assault, and was sentenced to 25 years to life.

“The grandmother and aunts of Anthony are very happy,” Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami said after Wilson’s latest parole hearing.

Wilson was initially granted parole in April 2024 during the administration of then-Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, who issued a directive shortly after he was elected that the office’s default policy was to not attend parole hearings.

Parents of Murdered Children subsequently gathered letters including ones from the victim’s grandmother and aunt that were sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Hatami said.

The governor noted that Wilson “covered the victim’s body with makeup to conceal the bruises” before taking him to the hospital. He subsequently asked the full parole board to review the case, asking it to “evaluate Ms. Wilson’s progress in rehabilitation and determine whether she has the insight, coping skills, and social supports she will need to support her safe release on parole.”

Her parole grant was subsequently rescinded in January, according to state records.

An appellate court ruling noted that Wilson knew that Williams had recently injured the boy badly while taking care of him and did not immediately return home from a karaoke bar when Williams called and urged her to come home on Aug. 21, 2014, because the boy was hurt. Presiding Justice Maria E. Stratton wrote on behalf of the appellate court panel: “Wilson did not take Anthony to the hospital, call 911 or obtain medical care for him for 12 hours after he became unconscious.”

Two doctors testified during the trial that the toddler would have had a good chance of surviving if he had been taken to a hospital right away, Hatami has said.