An Idaho woman who prosecutors say caused her 6-month-old baby to overdose on methamphetamine has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
The Post Register reports that 25-year-old Heather Elam was originally charged with first-degree murder. Prosecutors reduced the charge pursuant to a plea agreement.
According to court records, Elam called the Lemhi Sheriff's office in January, 2015 to report that her baby was unresponsive. First responders were unable to resuscitate the child, so they took the child to a local hospital in Salmon, where the infant later died.
A medical examiner later found a lethal dose of methamphetamine in the child, in the child's bottles and in some children's cough medicine.
Lemhi County Prosecutor Bruce Withers says Elam never intended to kill her child, but she agreed to accept responsibility for the child's death.
Elam's sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 17.
