Legal News

Mass. mom pleads not guilty to denying son meds

By (Breaking Legal News)

A woman accused of withholding cancer treatment from her autistic son by canceling appointments and not filling prescriptions pleaded not guilty Monday to an attempted murder charge in the boy's death.

Kristen LaBrie was ordered held on $15,000 cash bail during her arraignment Monday in Salem Superior Court. She did not speak during the brief hearing, except to enter the pleas to attempted murder, child endangerment and other charges.

LaBrie's son, Jeremy, had been diagnosed with leukemia in 2006. He was 9 when he died in March.

Prosecutors say LaBrie, 37, canceled appointments for chemotherapy treatment, did not fill at least half her son's prescriptions and tried to deceived doctors into believing she was giving the boy the proper care.

Her attorney, Kevin James, said Monday that LaBrie was a victim, had financial trouble and took care of the boy on her own.

LaBrie had earlier been charged with child endangerment; a grand jury returned the more serious indictment Friday.

Full post as published by Breaking Legal News on July 06, 2009 (boomark / email).