Mother pleads guilty to leaving young daughters alone in tub

MARYVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A Tennessee woman who left her two young daughters alone in a bathtub has pleaded guilty to aggravated child neglect and been sentenced to 25 years in prison.

News outlets report 34-year-old Bethanie Carriker choked back tears when she entered her plea Monday in Blount County Circuit Court to circumstances on May 7 that led to the death of her 15-month-old daughter. The other girl, who was less than a month old, suffered critical injuries but survived.

Authorities said during the court hearing that Carriker placed both children in a bath tub filled with about 6 inches of water and left them without supervision for at least 10-15 minutes.

The plea agreement calls for Carriker to serve 85 percent of her sentence.

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