CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A woman plead guilty to child neglect resulting in death Friday after her 6-week-old son died from ingesting methamphetamine.
Courtney Walker appeared for her plea hearing and entered a guilty plea in Kanawha County Circuit Court. The guilty plea was in exchange for the dismissal of charge of drug delivery resulting in death.
Family members identified the boy as Walker Moss. He died in April 2018. An autopsy report from the state medical examiners office confirmed the drug in the infants system was the sole cause of his death.
According to statements made in court, Walker admitted to using methamphetamine within 48 hours of the child ingesting it.
Walker’s attorney Ed Bullman told the court that it’s still unknown how the drugs got into the child’s body, adding that it was a difficult case to try and argue Walker’s innocence.
“I think, at the end of the trial, I was going to be in the position to argue to a jury to acquit when you have a dead baby and methamphetamine in the system and the medical examiner saying that was the cause,” Bullman said Friday in court.
Walker told Judge Carrie Webster that she had been a drug addict much of her life and she could have done more to protect her child.
“I love my son wholeheartedly but I could not give up the drugs to be a mom,” Walker said. “I had him in an environment where it was easy for him to get the drugs into his system. I don’t know how it happened but I have to live with that guilt everyday.”
Walker faces three to 15 years. She will also have to register on the child abuse registry for up to 10 years with a possible extended supervision imposed for up to 50 years.
Her sentencing is scheduled for August 30.