Paso Robles child murderer granted parole

April 25, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

A Paso Robles parent convicted in the 2013 murder of their 22-month-old child was granted parole this week.

On Feb. 18, 2013, Herbert David Brown III assaulted his daughter Lily Sommer-Brown at their Santa Ysabel Avenue home, leaving her not breathing with visible head and body injuries. Brown then called 911 to report that his daughter had stopped breathing.

The toddler was in critical condition and taken to Stanford Medical Center where the doctor’s diagnosis was that the baby was violently shaken and ended with her head being slammed against something hard at least once. Because of the injuries, at the age of 23 months, Lily’s mother decided to take her off life support. Lily was pronounced dead.

At the time, Brown told police that the baby’s bruises, seen on her legs and head, were from playing and the dog pulled on a leash that she held, slamming her into a door jamb. Brown was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

“It is shameful for the Parole Board to grant Herbert David Brown, III early release from prison,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “Brown, who now self identifies as a woman and goes by the name “Allie Brown,” was sentenced to serve 15-years-to-life and should have served every day of the 15 years before being considered for possible parole. I ask the Board of Parole Hearings: where is the justice for Baby Lilly?”

Brown was initially granted parole on Oct. 30, 2024, over strenuous objections by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office and surviving family members, including Lily’s mother.

In March 2025, California Gov. Gavin Newsom referred the parole decision back to the parole board for review. The parole board reviewed their previous decision earlier this week and affirmed the initial early grant of parole for Brown.

“In 2016, Proposition 57 claimed to only allow non-violent prisoners to be released early from prison,” according to Dow. “However, this was a misrepresentation because Proposition 57 authorized the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitationto award violent offenders additional credits towards serving their indeterminate sentence.  This means that even those inmates sentenced for violent offenses, like murder of a child, are eligible to be released much earlier than under the law that was in effect prior to the passage of Proposition 57.”

The date of Brown’s release has not yet been determined.