SALEM, Ore. – An Oregon woman who pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge after authorities say she failed to help her 4-year-old son who died in an apartment fire has been sentenced to 11 years in prison.
The Statesman Journal reports Keizer Police Detective Chris Nelson said that 24-year-old Niya Breann Sosa-Martinez could see her son through the flames and had the opportunity to go save him, but didn't.
Nelson said Sosa-Martinez didn't know why she didn't go back in and was panicking.
Detectives later discovered burn marks consistent with marijuana paraphernalia. Sosa-Martinez had claimed that her son started the October fire by knocking over a candle.
The Keizer woman had been on probation for a child neglect case at the time.
She apologized to her family in court Wednesday.
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