Serenity Deal's Mother Speaks Out Following Former DHS Workers' Sentencing

The mother of murdered 5-year-old Serenity Deal is speaking out for the first time since two DHS workers were convicted on charges connected to the killing.

Serenity's mother, Samantha Deal, is currently in prison for an unrelated crime. She took time to write a letter to News 9's Amanda Taylor to express her outrage over what happened in early November.

On November 9, 2012, terminated DHS employees Jennifer Shawn and Randy Lack were charged and sentenced all on the same day. Both Shawn and Lack received a one-year suspended sentence for misdemeanor suppression of evidence.

11/9/2012 Related Story: Charges Filed Against Two DHS Workers Terminated On Serenity Deal Case

The state says the duo withheld evidence that would have likely prevented Serenity's murder. On top of that, prosecutors say the defendants knew Serenity was being abused by her father and would-be-killer, Sean Brooks, but did nothing to prevent the abuse.

Now, in a handwritten letter, Serenity's mother, Samantha Deal, is taking aim at Pottawatomie County District Attorney Richard Smothermon. Samantha is expressing outrage over the fact that his office did not charge Shawn and Lack with negligent homicide.

Samantha says Smothermon has a conflict of interest because he, "work[ed] beside both [defendants] for [quite] some time." Smothermon declined to comment on the letter Tuesday. In a separate letter, Samantha is asking Attorney General Scott Pruitt to investigate her daughter's death along with the Pottawatomie County District Attorney's Office.

In the meantime, Samantha continues to serve a prison sentence for lewd acts with a child.

DHS would not comment on this story and the Attorney General's Office would not return News 9's calls.

By court order, Jennifer Shawn and Randy Lack can never work for DHS again.