Mother Pleads Guilty in Death

A Zanesville mother pled guilty today in the death of her three-year-old daughter.

Kristen Prince’s daughter Kadence died on October 31, 2007, after suffering a blunt force trauma to the abdomen at her Forest Avenue home.

"She admitted that she lost her temper and struck Kadence in the stomach. She indicated she lost her temper, because Kadence was fussy and clingy. She then left Kadance in the care of another person living in the house, she returned to bed and was awakened by that person and told Kadance was no longer breathing at which time she made the phone call to 9-1-1," says Ron Welch, assistant Muskingum County Prosecutor.

In the plea deal the prosecutor will drop one charge of murder and two counts of misdemeanor child endangering against Prince.

In return, she pled guilty in front of Judge Mark Fleegle to three counts: involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony; child endangering with serious physical harm, a second-degree felony; child endangering, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Prosecutors are recommending Prince receives a 10-year-sentence.

She is being held in the Muskingum County Jail while she awaits sentencing on a $200,000 bond.

Prince has agreed to testify against a codefendant in the case Lionel Smith, who is scheduled to go to trial in November. He’s charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.