GA v. Chloe Driver: Cult Baby Murder Trial
Court TV/December 12, 2024
Canton, Georgia — A Tennessee woman was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after being convicted in Georgia for the stabbing death of her 13-month-old daughter.
In November, a jury found 24-year-old Chloe Driver guilty but mentally ill of all charges in the Dec. 2020 death of her daughter, Hannah Driver. Chloe was convicted on charges of malice murder, felony murder, cruelty to children in the first degree, and aggravated assault.
Chloe was also sentenced to an additional 20 years to be served concurrently since the victim was under the age of 18. Chief Judge Ellen McElyea noted that Georgia statute indicates parole eligibility after 30 years.
Judge McElyea said it was a “heinous offense” and that “a parent killing a child offends us on the deepest level.”
Before the judge handed down her sentence, Chloe read a statement, saying in part that she accepted her punishment “with peace.” Chloe also said she grieved for the loss of her daughter every day and saw Hannah everywhere, including in her tears. She told the judge that she believed she would never have done what she did had she not lost her mind. Fear and horror disconnected her from reality, Chloe said.
Hannah’s biological father, Benyamin Ben-Michaeil, also told the court that Chloe “wasn’t a victim” and claimed she was manipulative. Benyamin also reflected on Hannah as a “happy and engaging” child.
While responding to a 911 call, police discovered Chloe and Hannah in a bedroom, both suffering from stab wounds. Prosecutors said Chloe stabbed Hannah in the neck multiple times with a knife.
Chloe pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, stating in court documents, “The defendant was in the midst of a psychotic episode that included paranoia, delusional beliefs, hallucinations and disordered thinking.”
In opening statements, prosecutors said Chloe was one of three women married to Benyamin Ben-Michaeil (AKA Brian Joyce), who lived a nomadic and religious, polygamist lifestyle. Chloe’s defense said those beliefs, coupled with mental illness, led her to psychosis that resulted in the death of her daughter.
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