Blogger Lacey Spears Arrested For Allegedly Fatally Poisoning 5 Year-Old Son, Pleads Not Guilty
Lacey Spears, a blogger from Westchester County, New York, has been arrested for allegedly poisoning her 5-year-old son, Garnett, to death.
Ironically, Spears was known in the blogosphere for writing about her son's deteriorating health.
CBS reports that on Tuesday, the 26-year-old mother was charged with second-degree depraved murder and first-degree manslaughter.
Spears is believed to have tortured and poisoned her son via a feeding tube.
Prosecutors believe Spears fed her son lethal amounts of salt through the tube. Spears is also believed to have conducted Internet research on the effects salt would have on her son.
She pleaded not guilty Tuesday.
Spears' son, Garnett, died Jan. 23. He was initially brought to Nyack Hospital on Jan. 17 following seizure-like symptoms, reports CBS.
Garnett was later transferred to Westchester Medical Center on Jan. 19 after his sodium levels rose with no medical explanation.
At the request of doctors, the state Office of Children and Family Services then launched an investigation into whether Spears was harming her son.
Police officials believe Spears may suffer from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychiatric illness in which a caregiver causes symptoms in a dependent, such as their child, to gain attention and sympathy.
"This is a very sad day for everyone, but it is a day for justice -- justice for the betrayal of the intimate trust between a mother and child, justice for a mother's continual abuse and death of her innocent child for her own selfish psychological needs and financial gain, justice for Garnett," said Capt. Christopher Calabrese, Westchester County Police Detective Division commander.
Spears is due back in court July 2.
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