An Acton woman originally charged with murder in the fatal beating of her 1-year-old son has pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of manslaughter.
WOBURN, Mass. (AP) — An Acton woman originally charged with murder in the fatal beating of her 1-year-old son has pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of manslaughter.
Christina Hancock was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison after entering her plea to involuntary manslaughter Thursday in Middlesex Superior Court, a day before her murder trial was scheduled to start.
Authorities say the 26-year-old Hancock beat her son, Kaydn, to death in May 2010.
An autopsy showed the boy had internal bleeding and multiple traumatic injuries, including contusions to his stomach, liver and colon. The medical examiner ruled the boy's death homicide from blunt force trauma.
Hancock said the baby suffered the injuries in a fall from his crib.
Hancock's lawyer says his client has been the victim of abuse herself.