A Pennsylvania jury found a mother guilty on two counts relate to the death of her 17-month-old daughter last year.
According to the New York Post, 23-year-old Jhenea Pratt was convicted on Tuesday of involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child.
“That baby was getting in the way of her enjoying her pastime,” argued Assistant District Attorney Diana Page.
She gave the young victim, Charlette Napper-Talley, a deadly mixture containing fentanyl. Prosecutors told jurors that Pratt served the concoction to her daughter so she could “sit back, relax and smoke marijuana,” as reported by KOCO.
Instead of giving her a break to smoke weed, the liquid police found inside the child’s cup reportedly had enough of the powerful pain reliever to “kill two horses.”
Jurors were shown video of her interrogation, and at one point she reportedly declaring that she has “no knowledge as to how fentanyl got into [her] daughter’s sippy cup.”
As part of her defense, attorney Brandon Herring argued that Charlette’s father, Albert Williams, was actually responsible.
“Albert had access to fentanyl and he prepared the sippy cup,” the lawyer claimed. “The prosecution hasn’t provided any evidence that Ms. Pratt put the fentanyl in that cup.”
Local news reports revealed she remained emotionless as she heard the verdict. She will appear in court for sentencing at an as-yet undetermined date.
[Featured image: Jhenea Pratt, Pittsburgh Police Department]
