Indiana woman pleads guilty to 3 felonies in stepson’s death

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — A Fort Wayne woman has pleaded guilty to three felony charges in the death of her 9-year-old stepson, who died in December after suffering blunt force injuries.

The Journal Gazette reports that 30-year-old Alesha L. Miller pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated battery and two counts of neglect of a dependent.

A higher level neglect charge will be dropped and Miller will face a 30-year prison sentence if a judge accepts her plea agreement.

A probable cause affidavit alleges that Miller beat her stepson, Elijah Thomas Ross, with a wooden “sorority paddle.” The Allen County coroner determined the boy died of multiple blunt-force injuries.