"Infant Jane" EVANS - 16 Months (2010) - Mingo County (nr KY/VA border) WV

A Mingo County mom has pleaded guilty to child neglect in the death of her 16-month old daughter.
The Mingo County Prosecutor says Samantha Sue Evans
will be sentenced on April 11. As part of the plea agreement, Evans
will spend not less than three years, and not more than 15 years in prison.
The toddler drowned in June after being left unattended in a scalding hot bath.
Evans was found either asleep or
unconscious when her daughter was discovered. Evans' admitted to
snorting multiple dose alprazolam [Xanax] bars and taking multiple
oxycodone pills prior to passing out.
Mingo County Prosecutor, C. Michael Sparks says he
would have “preferred to indict Evans for murder since Evans’ reckless
conduct created a grave risk of death and did cause the death of her
child. However, West Virginia does not have a statutory “depraved
indifference” category of murder like certain other states. Therefore,
child neglect resulting in death was regrettably the maximum charge
under West Virginia law.”

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UPDATE: Monday 6/7/10 @ 11 p.m.
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A mother who is charged in her baby's death has lost a child before.
Samantha Evans was arrested last week after her
16-month-old daughter was pulled lifeless out of a scalding bath. The
baby suffered severe burns and died. Sheriff's deputies say Evans either
fell asleep or passed out after putting the baby in the tub.
Evans admitted to taking five Xanax pills the day of the baby's death.
In 2001, Evans 5-week-old son died. It was ruled that the baby died of natural causes.
Pam Prosser with Child Protective Services in
Columbus, Ohio, says the department never investigated the baby's death.
Prosser says CPS started investigating Evans after the baby's death
because of unrelated complaints. She says the department had multiple
investigations into Evans.
Prosser says Evans had many children. She says the
cases were hard to investigate because Evans and her children moved
around a lot and would disappear.

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ORIGINAL STORY 6/4/10
MINGO COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A mother has been arrested after her
16-month-old baby was pulled out of a bathub of scalding water, lifeless.
The Mingo County Sheriff’s Department tells WSAZ.com
the child was left unattended in a bath tub full of hot water. The
baby's mother, Samantha Sue Evans, was arrested and charged with child
neglect resulting in death.
Deputies say It happened about 9:30 p.m. Thursday
night in the Jennies Creek area of Mingo County. The Sheriff’s
Department was actually conducting a drug raid at a house next door,
when this happened. According to the Sheriff’s Department, someone came
to the house that they were raiding and asked them for assistance with the infant.
The infant was covered in burns and was taken to Williamson Memorial, but didn’t make it.
Deputies with the Sheriff's Department say Evans admitted to taking five Xanax pills that day.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/UPDATE_Mother_Charged_with_Burning_Her_Baby_to_Death_in_Bath_Agrees_to_Plea_Deal.html?ref=159