Mom charged with murder rejects plea

[Chrissy]

Mom charged with murder rejects plea
By Katie Merlie

A LEBANON -- A Lebanon mother charged with the murder of her disabled daughter has rejected a plea agreement by prosecutors and is relying on a Boone County judge to determine if she can post bail.

Elizabeth Fairfield, 38, was charged in November after a grand jury indicted her in connection with the death of Brittany Fairfield, 14.

An autopsy report stated that the teenager, who had Down syndrome, had a high level of pain medication in her system when she was found dead in the early morning hours of June 14, 2007.

Today, Fairfield appeared in Boone County Superior Court 2 along with her attorney Thomas Farlow for a bail hearing. Fairfield has been in the Boone County Jail since her November arrest.

Prosecutor Todd Meyer read during the hearing read a plea offered to Fairfield, which includes allowing the mother of four pleading to one count of Class C felony reckless homicide.She would be sentenced to six years in the Indiana Department of Correction, with four of those years suspended. The two years of her sentence, Meyer said, would be spent on house arrest.

When asked by Judge Rebecca McClure about the possible plea, Fairfield told the judge that she would reject it.

The bail hearing is scheduled to continue through Wednesday, according to the court’s calendar.

Elizabeth Fairfield’s murder trial is scheduled to begin March 31.

http://www.indystar.com/article/2009...CAL02/90120038

[Chrissy]

Only six years for drugging your child to death does not seem to be a severe sentence for such a harsh crime.