[NineOhOne]

Update:

West Boca mom pleads guilty in carbon monoxide deaths

By Erika Pesantes, Sun Sentinel
2:11 PM EST, December 18, 2009

Loretta Wilson, the west Boca mom arrested Thursday on two counts of manslaughter by culpable negligence in the deaths of her daughter and her daughter's friend, pleaded guilty on Friday to the charges.

A judge placed Loretta Wilson, 45, on five years of probation and she must undergo psychological counseling, meet with Caitlin's parents and Kenneth Wilson, Amber's father, and "discuss the facts and surrounding circumstances of this incident with them," according to a news release from the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office.

"Ultimately, this difficult case is about an assignment of responsibility," State Attorney Michael McAuliffe said in a written statement. "While no evidence exists that Ms. Wilson intended to harm the children, this tragic event reinforces the unwavering principle that parents and guardians of children have the paramount responsibility to protect their children and those in their custody. There should be, and is now, a public recognition of the preventable nature of these deaths and a renewed call for vigilance in safeguarding our children."

"It is more careless than it is on purpose," said Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera, of Wilson's second-degree felony charges. "Working with the State Attorney's Office, it was determined she should be charged."

Initially, Wilson told detectives she routinely left the keys in the SUV's ignition and had heard the fan run even after shutting off the engine. But mechanics tested the SUV and said they found no apparent defects and that the fan did not run when the ignition was shut off. The car was "in good condition and the vehicle was operating as it was designed," according to the arrest report.

Wilson, too, was affected by the odorless, colorless fumes. She was hospitalized briefly but made a full recovery.