On Monday,the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ordered a stay of execution for Melissa Lucio, just two days before she was sentenced to die.
The appeals court is sending the case back to the 138th Cameron County district court to reconsider evidence that could exonerate Lucio for the death of her two-year-old child, Mariah, in 2007. This was in response to Lucio’s attorneys filing a 242-page application for a writ of habeas corpus asking the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to stay her execution and vacate her conviction and death sentence.
“I am grateful the Court has given me the chance to live and prove my innocence,” Lucio said in a statement. “Mariah is in my heart today and always. I am grateful to have more days to be a mother to my children and a grandmother to my grandchildren. I will use my time to help bring them to Christ. I am deeply grateful to everyone who prayed for me and spoke out on my behalf.”
