BEDFORD, Va. (AP) — A Bedford man accused of waiting several hours to report the death of his 2-year-old son in order to clean up a meth lab in his home has pleaded guilty to child abuse and methamphetamine manufacturing.
Media outlets report 26-year-old Michael Anthony Smith entered the plea Tuesday in Bedford County court.
The child’s mother, 24-year-old Shana Marie Witt, is charged with first-degree murder.
Prosecutors say Witt left her bedroom while Smith remained in bed on Feb. 27. According to Bedford County Commonwealth’s Attorney Randy Krantz, she returned and told Smith she had “done something bad.” Witt and Smith then had sex and waited to call 911 in order to hide the signs of cooking meth.
The child was pronounced dead at Bedford Memorial Hospital. An autopsy showed the boy suffocated.
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