Related
Samantha Jones broke down in tears on Wednesday as she told the judge she loved her little boy and would do anything to change what happened.
She pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, and Bucks County judge Wallace Bateman gave her a sentence that will prevent her from spending time in prison: three years of probation and 100 hours of community service.
"Certainly her conduct was grossly negligent," McElroy said. "She had resources, there were bottles in the house, and there were other adults in the house."
Jones’s attorney, Lou Busico, said Jones was trying to hide her relapse rather than ask for help. He told the judge there is no penalty she could get that is worse than the guilt she is already living with.
He says the judge sent the right message to any new mothers fighting addiction and is scared she might relapse.
"You want that young woman to pick up the phone. You want her to call her mother, her father, an addictions counselor, anybody, to say, 'I need a little bit of help.' And that’s what the judge did today," Busico said. "He said to the rest of society, 'Make that call.'"