Mother admits killing daughter, 7, by conning doctors into treating fake illness: ‘Painful tests and procedures resulting in death”

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday

Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

A mother in Colorado charged with murder after pretending for years that her daughter was terminally ill has pleaded guilty to lesser charges in the 7-year-old’s death.

Kelly Turner, 43, entered the plea on Monday in connection with the 2017 death of her daughter, Olivia Gant, who prosecutors say was subjected to unnecessary and life-threatening procedures as a result of her mother’s lies. She died in hospice.

Ms Turner wept as she pleaded guilty to child abuse that negligently caused her daughter’s death, the Denver Post reported – in addition to two theft charges. She is next due in court on 9 February.

“As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors and Turner agreed to a 16-year prison sentence on the child abuse charge,” the Post reported. “Turner would serve that prison term at the same time as a 10-year sentence on one of the theft charges, and a three-year sentence on the final theft charge.”

District Court Judge Patricia Herron called the agreement “difficult to stomach” and will have the final say on sentencing, the newspaper reported.

“That does not mean I will not impose it,” she said. “For any number of reasons, I understand how we end up here. But it’s difficult when we have the death of a young child. A death after, what the court considers from my review of the documents, after this child had been submitted to a lifetime of painful, frightening tests and surgical procedures ultimately resulting in this child’s death.

“It is unthinkable, and from this court’s perspective, generally would be met with the harshest of sentences.”