A Florida man convicted of the horrific murder of a 5-year-old girl by abandoning her in the Everglades to be devoured by alligators has somehow escaped the highest penalty. This outcome feels like a complete failure of justice.
Harrel Braddy, now 76, was sentenced to life in prison following a resentencing trial that concluded Friday afternoon in Miami-Dade Circuit Court. According to Crime Online, the jury’s decision means Braddy once again avoided capital punishment for the 1998 death of Quatisha Maycock.
The resentencing trial, which began on January 20, reopened painful memories for Quatisha’s family. Addressing jurors, State Attorney Abbe Rifkin spoke about the child whose life had been taken away far too soon. Rifkin described the victim, telling the court, “She was five years old. She was smart. She was loving. She was sweet like candy.”
It would not be out of the ordinary to think he’d be given the harshest sentence
Braddy’s conviction stems from a brutal incident in November 1998 where he abducted Quatisha and her mother, Shandelle Maycock. In 2007, a jury found Braddy guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and related charges.
The most shocking detail of this case is how the crime was carried out. Prosecutors detailed that Braddy left the child in an area commonly known as “Alligator Alley.” It was there that alligators attacked and killed the young girl. We’ve seen too many parents accused of murder, but this one is bad. Parents need to be protectors of their children, not the cause of their troubles.
The details regarding the discovery of Quatisha’s body are truly sickening. Police found her mutilated body near a canal, and prosecutors stated her injuries were absolutely consistent with a fatal animal attack. Rifkin told jurors about the devastating evidence they had to review, describing “Deep into her skull, teeth marks, where an alligator tried to bite her head.” That is an awful, chilling detail to imagine.
During the resentencing trial, Shandelle Maycock faced Braddy in court and provided testimony about the events leading up to the murder. She told jurors that she had met Braddy and his wife through a church group in the late 1990s. Initially, the couple appeared supportive. Braddy had offered her rides to work and provided her with money.
Maycock recalled Braddy offering assistance early on, testifying he told her, “I am here if you need me. I am here. Just like that, I am here.”
However, the relationship took a violent turn when she asked him to leave her apartment because she had other company arriving. Prosecutors alleged Braddy then attacked Maycock, throwing her to the ground, climbing on top of her, and choking her. During the assault, Maycock testified that Braddy accused her, saying, “You used me.”
Authorities said Braddy then forced both the mother and daughter into a car. He later beat Maycock until she lost consciousness before leaving her near U.S. 27, close to the Broward-Palm Beach county line. Maycock eventually regained awareness and managed to find help, but it was too late for her daughter.
The reason this resentencing trial happened now is purely legal. Braddy’s original 2007 death sentence was overturned in 2017 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Florida’s existing death penalty structure was unconstitutional because it required only a majority vote, not a unanimous one, to impose death. This decision led the Florida Supreme Court to vacate multiple death sentences across the state.
Braddy faced the death penalty again under Florida’s revised 2023 law, which requires a supermajority of eight jurors to impose capital punishment. However, the jury in the resentencing trial chose life in prison instead.
Published: Feb 2, 2026 04:17 pm