Man Pleads Guilty in Deal After Boy, 13, is Poisoned
ST. JOHNSBURY, Vt. (AP) — A Hardwick man is pleading guilty to manslaughter after prosecutors say he poured vodka into the feeding bag of his girlfriend's son.
WPTZ-TV reports that Walter Richters pleaded guilty under a plea deal in a Caledonia County courtroom.
Police say Richters and his girlfriend put alcohol into the IV of her severely disabled 13-year-old son in August 2014 after he was "being fussy." Richters said he poured the vodka with the mother's consent.
Prosecutors say the boy was blind, had no ears, a cleft palette and developmental delays with walking and talking.
Richters has agreed to testify against the boy's mother. He will serve three months in prison on a four- to 15-year sentence under the agreement.
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Information from: WPTZ-TV, http://www.thechamplainchannel.com
(Story by: WPTZ-TV and The Associated Press)