I know it's not funny. I know! But it's kinda funny.
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Facing overwhelming evidence, including her own admissions to police, Heather Lynn Breeland pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of involuntary manslaughter in the smothering death of her infant son in September 2007.
Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Facing overwhelming evidence, including her own admissions to police, Heather Lynn Breeland pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of involuntary manslaughter in the smothering death of her infant son in September 2007.
"(Pleading guilty) has been her desire from the beginning," said John Donovan, Breeland's public defender. "She felt the evidence was
strongly against her."
Breeland, 22, of Hazleton, reached an agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Two other charges, endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person, both misdemeanors, will not be prosecuted.
Breeland affirmed her plea during an appearance before President Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. in the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas, six weeks after an arraignment at which she entered a not-guilty plea. Ciavarella scheduled sentencing for June 17.
"She is sorry about what happened," Donovan said.
Assistant District Attorney Jenny Roberts, who prosecuted the case with Nancy Violi, declined to comment until after sentencing because, under state law, Breeland has the right to withdraw her plea and proceed to trial.
According to prosecutors, Breeland fell asleep next to her 21-day-old son, Joseph Willie Breeland, about 4:30 a.m. Sept. 27, 2006. She woke up hours later and found the infant underneath her.
Breeland said she was unsure if the boy was breathing and called 911. He was pronounced dead at Hazleton General Hospital at 9:51 a.m.
"I was sleeping and rolled over on him," Breeland told police at the time.
Breeland told police she drank six 22-ounce cans of Colt 45 malt liquor, two shots of vodka and snorted a line of cocaine between midnight and 4:30 a.m. Her blood alcohol content level was between 0.138 and 0.158.
"I don't know what happened," Breeland told a friend, according to police. "My baby's dead. It's because I slept with my baby."
Breeland, 22, of Hazleton, reached an agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Two other charges, endangering the welfare of a child and recklessly endangering another person, both misdemeanors, will not be prosecuted.
Breeland affirmed her plea during an appearance before President Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. in the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas, six weeks after an arraignment at which she entered a not-guilty plea. Ciavarella scheduled sentencing for June 17.
"She is sorry about what happened," Donovan said.
Assistant District Attorney Jenny Roberts, who prosecuted the case with Nancy Violi, declined to comment until after sentencing because, under state law, Breeland has the right to withdraw her plea and proceed to trial.
According to prosecutors, Breeland fell asleep next to her 21-day-old son, Joseph Willie Breeland, about 4:30 a.m. Sept. 27, 2006. She woke up hours later and found the infant underneath her.
Breeland said she was unsure if the boy was breathing and called 911. He was pronounced dead at Hazleton General Hospital at 9:51 a.m.
"I was sleeping and rolled over on him," Breeland told police at the time.
Breeland told police she drank six 22-ounce cans of Colt 45 malt liquor, two shots of vodka and snorted a line of cocaine between midnight and 4:30 a.m. Her blood alcohol content level was between 0.138 and 0.158.
"I don't know what happened," Breeland told a friend, according to police. "My baby's dead. It's because I slept with my baby."
