UNION, Mo. – The Missouri woman accused of slashing a young mother's throat, kidnapping her newborn and passing off the child as her own for five days has reached a plea deal with prosecutors.
Shannon Torrez of Lonedell entered an Alford plea today in Franklin County to one count each of child kidnapping, armed criminal action and first-degree assault. Under the arrangement, the 38-year-old does not admit guilt but concedes there is sufficient evidence for a guilty verdict.
Authorities say Torrez attacked then-21-year-old Stephenie Ochsenbine in 2006 and left with Ochsenbine's week-old baby, Abby Woods.
Torrez allegedly passed the child off as her own for days before her sister-in-law became suspicious and alerted police.
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