A Georgia mother has been convicted of the shocking murder of her 13-month-old baby, a crime that has left many stunned. Chloe Driver, 24, killed her daughter Hannah in a brutal act that prosecutors say was fueled by her twisted desire to have her husband all to herself.
The court heard that Driver’s life was anything but ordinary. She was part of a polygamist group with radical beliefs, including bizarre health practices like drinking urine. Her husband, Benyamin Ben Michael—who also went by Brian Joyce or simply “Z”—was the leader of this group and had two other wives.
On December 8, 2020, Chloe locked herself and Hannah in a bedroom, took a knife from the kitchen, and stabbed her baby repeatedly. Police arrived at the scene in Canton, Georgia, to a horrifying sight: Chloe lying on a mattress next to a blood-covered Hannah, holding the baby’s hand. Both were rushed to the hospital, but tragically, little Hannah didn’t survive.
In court, prosecutors described Chloe as a woman who was unraveling under the weight of her life. They said she killed her baby because she knew her husband would never leave his polygamist lifestyle, and she thought removing Hannah might change that. A letter Chloe wrote was shared during the trial, where she confessed, “I was going insane. I only wanted my baby and husband, but he refused.”
Defense lawyers painted a different picture. They argued that Chloe was mentally ill, trapped in an abusive, oppressive marriage, and manipulated by her husband’s cult-like control. They said she suffered from severe mental health issues, including schizoaffective disorder and paranoia, which they claimed made her incapable of understanding right from wrong when she killed her baby.
The jury didn’t buy it. After a six-day trial and just three hours of deliberation, they found Chloe guilty but mentally ill on all charges. This verdict means they didn’t accept her insanity plea but acknowledged her mental health struggles. She now faces sentencing in December.
Chloe’s journey to this dark moment was revealed in heartbreaking detail during the trial. Witnesses described her troubled childhood, abusive relationships, and a life of isolation and control within her husband’s group. Dr. McLendon Garrett, a forensic psychologist, explained how Chloe’s mental health spiraled in the months leading up to the murder. She was paranoid, delusional, and believed she was “pouring her sins” into her child through breastfeeding. She even thought her baby was an embodiment of her guilt and sin.
Chloe’s husband’s group didn’t help matters. Witnesses testified about their strange practices, like “dark therapy,” where Chloe was locked in a dark room without bathroom access. One friend described the group as patriarchal, with strict rules and punishments. He said Chloe’s mental state had deteriorated significantly before the murder, and she felt trapped and alone.
Even Chloe’s mother, Renee, tried to intervene, begging her daughter to leave the group and come home. But Chloe wouldn’t budge, and her mother helplessly watched her daughter’s mental state crumble. Renee testified, “She was falling apart, but I was so focused on seeing Hannah that I didn’t realize how bad things were for Chloe.”
The jury’s verdict brought the trial to a close, but the story of Hannah’s tragic death and Chloe’s descent into darkness will linger. Chloe will now be under the custody of the Georgia Department of Corrections, where she’ll receive mental health care while awaiting her sentence. For many, this case is a chilling reminder of how mental illness and manipulation can lead to unimaginable tragedy.
