John,

Twenty years after her wrongful conviction, Rosa Jimenez was finally exonerated last week. 

Rosa, who has always maintained her innocence, was convicted of murder after a 21-month-old child she was babysitting choked on paper towels and suffered a severe brain injury due to oxygen deprivation. He passed away three months later. In 2021, testimony from several leading pediatric airway experts affirmed the death at the center of the case was a tragic accident and not murder. 

But just as Rosa is finally able to close the chapter on her wrongful conviction and 20-year fight to prove her innocence, she’s now facing another battle. 

A decade into her incarceration at 32 years old, Rosa was diagnosed with kidney disease, which progressed to end-stage during her wrongful incarceration. Months after her release in 2021, she began dialysis and is now in need of a life-saving kidney transplant. Please take a moment to read more about Rosa’s story and learn how you can support her in the fight for her life.

When Rosa was arrested, she had a young daughter and was pregnant with her second child. She gave birth to her son while in jail awaiting trial. She held him for a total of five hours before he was taken from her and placed in foster care along with her daughter.

Rosa was released from prison in 2021 and has spent the last two years undergoing dialysis and building bonds with her children. Within minutes of her exoneration last week, Rosa’s daughter Brenda gave birth to her first child, Alexia. 

“The past 20 years, I have been fighting for my freedom, my innocence, and my children. Now I have a second fight,” said Rosa. “I want to have a long, healthy life with my family, who I waited so long to be with again. I want to see my grandchildren grow up. I have come so far, and I will keep fighting for as long as it takes.”

Learn more about Rosa’s story and how you can show her support during this difficult time.

With deep appreciation,

— The Innocence Project Team