Janice
07-17-2005, 12:44 AM
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/leonard16.html
Mother pleads guilty in death of disabled son
A Crystal Lake woman has pleaded guilty in the death of her emaciated 15-year-old disabled son.
Katherine Leonard, 46, pleaded guilty Friday to a charge of criminal neglect to a disabled person after the March 11, 2004, death of her son, Seamus. She faces up to 14 years in prison.
Police and paramedics found Seamus Leonard's body on the floor of his mother's home wearing only a diaper. She called 911 after returning from work and discovered her son wasn't breathing, authorities said.
Though the official cause of death was pneumonia, authorities have said the boy, who suffered from cerebral palsy, was severely malnourished and weighed just 23 pounds.
In return for Leonard's guilty plea, prosecutors dropped charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering the health or life of a child.
Leonard's attorney, Henry Sugden, said she decided to enter the guilty plea because she didn't want to see any of her six children testify against her at trial.
Leonard will be sentenced on Aug. 25. She is barred from seeing her other children, ages five to 20, but can exchange letters with them. The children are currently living with relatives.
Mother pleads guilty in death of disabled son
A Crystal Lake woman has pleaded guilty in the death of her emaciated 15-year-old disabled son.
Katherine Leonard, 46, pleaded guilty Friday to a charge of criminal neglect to a disabled person after the March 11, 2004, death of her son, Seamus. She faces up to 14 years in prison.
Police and paramedics found Seamus Leonard's body on the floor of his mother's home wearing only a diaper. She called 911 after returning from work and discovered her son wasn't breathing, authorities said.
Though the official cause of death was pneumonia, authorities have said the boy, who suffered from cerebral palsy, was severely malnourished and weighed just 23 pounds.
In return for Leonard's guilty plea, prosecutors dropped charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering the health or life of a child.
Leonard's attorney, Henry Sugden, said she decided to enter the guilty plea because she didn't want to see any of her six children testify against her at trial.
Leonard will be sentenced on Aug. 25. She is barred from seeing her other children, ages five to 20, but can exchange letters with them. The children are currently living with relatives.