Woman Changes Plea in Baby Death
***UPDATE 11:20 A.M.****Cassidy King took a plea deal, admitting to first-degree involuntary manslaughter and drug charges. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the murder charges.King was sentenced to eight years in prison. She was already serving seven years for other charges. ***ORIGINAL STORY***A Mid-Missouri woman is changing her plea in a case involved the death of her child.The remains of Cassidy King’s baby was found in a pond near Higbee in May 2011. King’s sister testified in court back in October that she found a duffel bag in the pond with the child inside.Also in October, King pleaded not guilty to second degree murder, but on Tuesday, King’s lawyer says she will alter her plea. Defense attorney John Roodhouse tells ABC 17 News that the defense has tentatively reached an agreement with prosecutors and that King will plead guilty.Prosecutor Mike Fusselman confirmed to ABC 17 News that an agreement is in the works. However, neither attorney would comment on camera. Rather, they stated it is premature to talk about the agreement.The plea guilty would be all-encompassing, meaning it is not just for King’s murder charge. The agreement would include a charge for abandonment of a corpse and for multiple drug charges.During court proceedings, the medical examiner testified that a number of factors contributed to the infant’s death, including exposure to cocaine and methamphetamine. King’s attorney argued that if exposure to drugs played a role in the baby’s death, but Missouri law, that is not considered homicide. Therefore, King would be innocent.King is currently in a Chillicothe prison for a previous charge of stealing anhydrous ammonia. King is due back in court in January and her attorney says he is confident both sides will come a resolution by that time.
