BELFAST, Maine (AP) — A woman charged in the fatal beating of her 3-year-old son has pleaded not guilty to murder.
Jessica Trefethen, 35, of Stockton Springs, entered the plea on Monday, about four months after her son, Maddox Williams, arrived unresponsive at a hospital. The boy died from blunt-force injuries including a fractured spine, a brain bleed and ruptured bowel, the medical examiner said.
Her attorney didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment.
Maddox was one of four children who died in June in Maine, and his death attracted widespread attention in the state.
The case was reminiscent of 10-year-old Marissa Kennedy, who suffered abuse before her death in February 2018. Marissa’s mother and the mother’s former husband were both convicted of murder.
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