Mich. Mom Takes Plea Deal in Quadriplegic Daughter's Death

FLINT, Mich. – A Michigan mom accused of starving her adopted quadriplegic daughter to death has pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter.

The body of 9-year-old Shylae Thomas was found covered in mothballs in a storage unit near Flint in April. She had been dead for six weeks.

Defense lawyer Mark Clement says Lorrie Thomas pleaded no contest Friday to involuntary manslaughter, four days before she was to go to trial on a second-degree murder charge.

Clement predicts a sentence of 3 1/2 years to seven years in prison. Thomas will return to court on Jan. 11.