ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The mother of Aiden Fucci, the Florida teenager who brutally stabbed his classmate Tristyn Bailey to death in 2021, pleaded no contest Friday to an evidence tampering charge, WJAX-TV reported.
Crystal Smith was charged with evidence tampering in June 2021 in connection with Tristyn’s death. Video from inside Smith’s house showed her washing blood off the pants her son was wearing on the night he killed Tristyn, 13, WJAX reported.
Smith will serve a 30-day jail sentence in St. Johns County with credit for one day served, WJAX reported. She will also serve five years of probation with the option to apply for early termination after three years, according to the news station.
In a statement read in court, Stacey Bailey, Tristyn’s mother, said that she has tried to put herself into Smith’s shoes and failed.
“I could never put someone else’s child in harm’s way,” Stacey Bailey said, according to WJAX. “The choices you made on Mother’s Day, May 9, 2021, will haunt me for the rest of my life.”
Smith’s attorney said that the 37-year-old regrets her actions. The attorney described Smith as “a frantic mother who was trying to find out what was going on with her son,” WJAX reported.
Fucci was 14 when he stabbed Tristyn 114 times on Mother’s Day in 2021, killing her. He pleaded guilty to a first-degree murder charge in February and received a life sentence.
In a statement obtained by WJAX, the Bailey family thanked authorities for their continued work and the community for its support.
“With the legal proceedings now complete, our hopes are with our community moving ahead,” the statement read.
“We hope for Tristyn’s classmates - that they will fully enjoy their milestones in the coming weeks. We hope for the parents of our community – that they help their children move forward with love, affection, and careful attention to their use of social media. We hope – that through your smiles, Tristyn’s bright smile will shine forever. Finally, for those who sacrificed so much on that Mother’s Day two years ago, we especially hope that this Mother’s Day will be an incredible day of joy and happiness.”
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