GREENSBURG, PA – A Pennsylvania woman has been sentenced to a decade behind bars after a dramatic series of events where she kidnapped her young daughter, leading to a life-threatening situation fueled by delusional fears and drug intoxication.
Skye Naggy, 32, received a prison sentence ranging from 10 to 20 years after pleading guilty but mentally ill to a slew of charges, including attempted homicide and kidnapping. Her actions were driven by a severe mental health crisis that caused her to believe a nonexistent serial killer was pursuing her and her 6-year-old daughter.
The situation unfolded in November 2022 when Naggy, abandoning her mandatory mental health treatment, took her daughter to a secluded area near Loyalhanna Lake outside Pittsburgh.
In a misguided effort to protect her daughter, she administered opiates and fentanyl to her. Fortunately, authorities, tracking Naggy’s phone, intervened in time to rescue the child before the drugs proved fatal.
Upon arrest, investigators found Naggy suffering from schizophrenia. She had previously left behind letters suggesting a divine warning of imminent death, prompting her desperate actions. At her sentencing, Naggy expressed a firm belief that she was safeguarding her daughter, addressing the mental illness too late.
Despite her condition, prosecutors argued that Naggy should remain incarcerated rather than released, citing potential risks to herself and the community. Meanwhile, her attorney, Wayne McGrew, urged for compassion, noting her lack of prior criminal activity and advocating for continued treatment in a hospital environment rather than prison.
Although the defense requested a five-year term, and the prosecution sought a sentence of up to 40 years, the judge ultimately determined a middle ground of 10 to 20 years, acknowledging the gravity of both the crime and the mitigating circumstances of mental illness. Naggy has been credited for over 900 days already spent in custody.
The child, fortunately rescued in time, is now under the care of a relative, providing some semblance of stability after the ordeal. As Naggy continues her treatment during incarceration, the case remains a poignant reminder of the complex intersection between mental health and justice.
