Lacey Spears, the mom who was convicted of murdering her 5-year-old son, Garnett, with lethal doses of salt, cries and denies she killed her child in her first interview with CBS’ 48 Hours, airing Saturday, April 9.
A preview released by CBS on Thursday, April 7, shows a somber Spears, 27, reflecting on the loss of her son. “I lost my 5-year-old son. He’s not here today. I loved every part of who he was,” she tells the investigative program’s correspondent Troy Roberts. “And I’m very saddened that I’ll never get to watch him grow up.”
Roberts then asks Spears in the clip how her son died. After a moment of reflection, she replies: “His death certificate says homicide.”
Spears’ son, Garnett, died in January 2014 from toxic levels of sodium in his bloodstream. In the years leading up to his death, little Garnett suffered numerous mysterious health conditions, including ear infections, seizure-like symptoms, digestive issues and more. Doctors were unable to find answers for his health ailments until his final hospitalization in New York — when it was too late.
“You don’t expect to take them to the hospital,” Spears tearfully says in her interview, “and never bring them home.”
Spears infamously documented her child’s ordeal, first on social media and later on a blog called Garnett’s Journey. She was convicted of second-degree murder in 2015 for administering a lethal dose of sodium to Garnett through his stomach tube during his final hospital visit. That last dose induced brain swelling in the child and resulted in his death. Spears is currently serving a 20-year sentence behind bars.
“I do not have Munchausen by proxy,” she claims to Roberts in the preview. “I didn’t harm him in any way. I seeked help for him diligently because I was his advocate.”
Despite the evidence presented by the prosecution, she boldly maintains her innocence in her sit-down. “I never poisoned him with salt,” she says, shaking her head. Roberts then questions why there was so much salt in Garnett’s body.
“You would have to ask the hospital that,” Spears replies.
Watch the preview above and tune in to Spears’ 48 Hours interview on CBS Saturday, April 9, at 10 p.m. ET.
