A father condemned to 15 years to life in jail for the killing of his almost two-year-old daughter has been given early parole.
Herbert Brown III was arrested in February 2013 after police arrived at a Paso Robles house where 22-month-old Lily was discovered unresponsive with visible injuries to her head and body.
Lily was moved to a Bay Area hospital, where she died shortly after. Investigators stated she had been abused and sustained injuries, including a broken skull, consistent with being hit with a hard object and violent shaking.
Brown first pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea in September 2015, approximately a week before a jury trial, to no contest to second-degree murder.
The following month, Brown was sentenced to 15 years to life in jail.
Brown, 41, now identifies as a woman and goes by the name Allie Hazel Brown. She is now being imprisoned at the Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison in Corcoran.
Brown was initially eligible for parole in April 2023, but was refused.
Brown was granted parole in October 2024, over the concerns of the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office and Lily’s mother.
The DA argued against Brown’s release, citing that Brown had previously committed domestic violence against Lily’s mother and that Brown had given several versions of what caused Lily’s injuries, initially blaming the family dog and later claiming the abuse was the result of Brown’s methamphetamine withdrawals.
The argument further stated that a psychiatrist evaluated Brown as a “higher moderate risk for violence” and that she had been charged with violent behaviour as late as 2022.
In March of this year, Governor Gavin Newsom sent the parole board’s decision back to the full board for review. Just this week, the board affirmed Brown’s parole.
San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow issued a statement on Thursday, saying, “It is shameful for the Parole Board to grant Herbert David Brown III early release from prison. Mr. Brown was convicted of murdering his own 22-month young daughter Lily due to abuse he inflicted upon her while he was using and under the influence of methamphetamine. Brown, who now identifies as a woman and goes by the name ‘Allie Brown,’ was sentenced to serve 15-years-to-life and should have served every day of the 15 years before being considered for possible parole. I ask the Board of Parole Hearings: ‘Where is the justice for Baby Lily?'”
Brown’s release date has not been set.
