Woman pleads guilty in mother's fatal overdose
MUNCIE – A Muncie woman on Wednesday admitted to giving her mother an injection that caused a fatal overdose.
Amanda Kay Pratt, 31, pleaded guilty to reckless homicide as part of a plea agreement that was taken under advisement by Delaware Circuit Court 1 Judge Marianne Vorhees.
The deal – which also called for Pratt to plead guilty to an unrelated count of forgery – would place a limit of four years on any prison sentence the Muncie woman receives. Vorhees tentatively set sentencing for Jan. 4.
The charging document, filed in April, alleged Pratt “did recklessly kill another human being” – Penny S. Kerry, who died at age 54 on Feb. 7.
Under questioning from public defender Mike Quirk Wednesday, Pratt acknowledged that her mother suffered from chronic illnesses, and would “lie in bed and cry and moan” after she was no longer able to receive prescriptions for pain medications from her physician.
Quirk said Kerry began obtaining controlled substances, apparently illegally, and injecting herself with those drugs.
“She asked you to (inject the substances) that day?” he asked his client.
“Yes,” responded Pratt, who appeared to be battling tears.
A Muncie Police Department investigation of Kerry’s death focused on allegations she had been injected with Diluadid, a narcotic pain-killer, shortly before she died.
Delaware County Coroner Scott Hahn determined her death, which he ruled was an accident, had been caused by “acute methamphetamine poisoning.”
Pratt was arrested three days after her mother’s death when members of the Muncie Police Department’s narcotics unit and SWAT team raided a house in the 1600 block of South Elm Street.
Authorities said they found meth, materials used to “cook” meth and a prescription medication in that home.
At Monday’s hearing, Pratt told Vorhees she was a heroin abuser.
The forgery charge alleged Pratt in mid-June forged and cashed a check – for $180.82 – at a local supermarket. Police said the check had been stolen from a home in the 400 block of South Morrison Road.
Contact news reporter Douglas Walker at (765) 213-5851. You can also follow him on Twitter @DouglasWalkerSP.