Mother enters plea after drunk driving wreck killed 2 of her children

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — A Lincoln County mother entered a guilty Kennedy plea Tuesday in connection with a March interstate crash which killed two of her children and injured a third.

Siera Burgess, of Branchland, entered the plea to two counts of DUI causing death and one count of child neglect resulting in serious bodily injury. The pleas came in Cabell County Circuit Court. The crash took place on Interstate 64 at Milton.

The wreck claimed the lives of Skylor Cooper, 3, and Sarah Cooper, 1. Another daughter, Madilyn, 7, suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators said they found beer in the vehicle. They originally thought Burgess may have been under a prescription drug at the time but further testing showed the drug was not in her system.

A Kennedy plea is a procedure in which the defendant does not admit guilt, but agrees the prosecution has sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction.

Cabell County Assistant Prosecutor Sharon Frazier told the court evidence would have shown at least two people thought Burgess was intoxicated when she picked her children up from a friend after work.

Burgess’ vehicle went across the median and into the westbound lanes near the Milton exit.

“Ultimately four vehicles were involved in the crash,” Frazier said.

Burgess indicated to reporters after the hearing the events of that day back in March never leave her mind.

“People don’t sit in my cell at night,” Burgess said.

Burgess is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 30.





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