Supreme Court turns down Heidi Watkins’ appeal in Shelby Duis case

The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the conviction that sent the Spirit Lake mother of Shelby Duis to prison for the little girl’s brutal death. Heidi Watkins appealed her conviction on child endangerment charges, saying the prosecutor used different tactics at her trial as compared to that of her live-in boyfriend, Jesse Wendelsdorf, who was acquitted of sexual abuse and murder. The Iowa Supreme Court rejected that argument. In addition, Watkins claimed there was no evidence to suggest she was the one who caused the broken bones and other injuries little Shelby suffered. The Supreme Court has ruled that Watkins was solely responsible for Shelby’s well-being at the time, and even if she didn’t do the damage, she would be guilty of “knowingly permitting” it.