Iowa Mother Accused of Giving Toddler Alcohol Pleads Guilty

The young Iowa City mother accused of giving her toddler alcohol was expected to plead not guilty to her charges, but has entered a guilty plea.



27-year-old Natasha Kriener was set to be tried for child endangerment causing bodily injury and neglect, but she decided Monday to enter a guilty plea, negating the need for the February 12 trial.

The charges relate to an incident that happened February 17 of this year when Kriener's toddler was taken to the hospital by his father after he picked him up. The father noticed that the child was crying and had trouble keeping his balance, so he took him to the emergency room immediately.

At the hospital, the child was found to have a blood alcohol level of .097. An investigation was launched after this discovery that led to Kriener's arrest. She was found to have a blood alcohol level of .251.

According to the police report and kcrg.com, a sibling of the toddler said that the baby "drank pop and got sick."

Kriener was arrested for a second time after failure to appear for her original September court date relating to the charges she received after the incident, and has been in jail since November 1 on a $20,000 bond.

Details of the plea entered have not been released as of yet. The charges that Kriener received carried a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, but it is unknown what she will actually serve.

Her sentencing date is set for January 28.
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