PITTSBURGH (AP) — A western Pennsylvania woman has been sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison in the strangulation death of her boyfriend’s toddler daughter.
Court documents indicate that 21-year-old Deasha Ringgold pleaded guilty Tuesday to third-degree murder and a child endangerment count was withdrawn as part of a plea agreement.
Allegheny County prosecutors said the Clairton resident was left caring for 22-month-old Aubree Sherrell in April 2018. She was rushed to Jefferson Hospital and then flown to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh but died several hours later.
Authorities said Ringgold told police she put the toddler on her mattress and then slept, but woke to find the child with blue lips. But investigators said her cellphone showed internet searches for topics such as “How to do CPR on a baby.”