Trial reset for Clarksville mom charged in baby's death
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A Clarksville mother accused of leaving her 8-month-old daughter alone in a bathtub and causing her death had her jury trial rescheduled Monday morning.
Nicole Pamblanco, 24, allegedly left her infant daughter, Abigail, alone in a bathtub and left the water running on Aug. 22, 2013, while she answered her door.
Clarksville Police were called to the Northwood Terrace home of Pamblanco and found CPR being performed on the unresponsive infant, according to a previous report.
Pamblanco said she went to give Abigail a bath, put the baby in the bathtub and began running the water. She heard a knock at the door and went to quickly check on it. She said she got caught up with the friend stopping by and forgot about the baby, according to a previous report.
Abigail was taken by helicopter to Vanderbilt University Children's Hospital in Nashville. She was removed from life support and began breathing on her own. Her condition then worsened and led to her death six days later on Aug. 28.
Abigail died after suffering extreme oxygen deprivation and reduction and brain death, according to court records.
Pamblanco appeared in Judge John H. Gasaway's court Monday morning with her attorney, Michael Flannagan.
The state, represented by Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Lund, filed a motion to continue the trial, which was scheduled to begin Wednesday at 8:30 a.m.
Lund said the doctor who performed Abigail's medical examination after her death lived in Phoenix, Arizona, and the state needed more time to present their witness.
Pamblanco's next court date is Sept. 4.
Flannagan asked that the jury be sequestered during the duration of the trial. A group has used social media to plan a protest in opposition to Pamblanco, and he did not want the jury influenced by that demonstration, he said.
Judge Gasaway granted the motion to sequester the jury during Pamblanco's trial.
A trial date was set for Oct. 27.
Trial begins for man charged in robbery, home invasion
A Clarksville man accused of participating in a home invasion in September 2012 began his jury trial Monday in Judge John H. Gasaway's court.
Willie Dallas Collins, 34, was one of four men charged with the Sept. 5, 2012, robbery and home invasion of a Nottingham man rumored to have a large sum of money and drugs.
Collins is charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, reckless endangerment with a weapon and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Collins – along with Gregory Elliott, Timothy Ogburn and Lawrence Gillen – went to the home and encountered a 30-year-old man and 29-year-old woman sitting in a car outside the house. They struck the man on the head several times with a handgun, according to a previous report.
The woman ran into the house, locked herself in a bedroom and Gillen and Ogburn allegedly followed her inside and tried to break down the door, the report said.
A sleeping man was awakened, opened the door, saw Gillen with a rifle, slammed the door and 911 was called.
Following a struggle with the man, Gillen and Ogburn fled the house. Elliott and Collins, who were guarding the 30-year-old man outside, heard shots and ran.
All four men fled the scene in a vehicle and were later arrested.
Collins began his trial Monday with several counts being dismissed because three witnesses died from medical issues after the crime, and one was unable to be found.
His trial will continue through the week.
Co-defendant Elliott has a trial scheduled for Sept. 15 and a trial conference on Aug. 28.
Ogburn was tried in May and found guilty of attempted aggravated robbery, assault, attempted aggravated burglary and three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 14.
In January, Lawrence Gillen II, 25, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated robbery and an amended charge of attempted aggravated robbery and agreed to a 17-year sentence.
Tavia D. Green, 245-0742
Schools/courts reporter
taviagreen@theleafchronicle.com