Mother Gets Five Years Probation For Leaving Son in Hot Car to Die

​Elizabeth Cuesta has plead guilty to manslaughter for events that lead up to the death of her 18-month-old son back in May of 2009. The child was left inside Cuesta's pickup truck in the parking lot of a PetSmart where Cuesta worked. The plea bargain means that Cuesta will not face any jail time.

Cuesta's child was found dead inside the car that afternoon after being trapped inside during the hot day. Cuesta claimed she thought she had dropped the child off at daycare before work like she usually did, but apparently it had slipped her mind that day. Unfortunately, the accident ended tragically.

At the time, she was charged with manslaughter and culpable negligence, and could have faced up to 30 years in prison.

Instead, she took a plea deal today, and will only face five years of probation. The sentence could be terminated after two-and-half years if Cuesta demonstrates good behavior.

"Consider the facts and the law and the mental anguish of going through a trial like this for a mother who was involved in her son's death. It's a very traumatic experience," Cuesta's attorney tells JustNews. "There's a risk factor, and the plea was extremely reasonable."

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