A Montana grandmother was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in the overdose death of her infant grandson, who ingested high levels of the prescription painkiller oxycodone, a prosecutor said on Tuesday.
In a deal struck with prosecutors last month, Tracy Ann Harless, 50, pleaded guilty to a charge of negligent homicide stemming from the 2013 death of her one-year-old grandson, said Cascade County Chief Prosecutor John Parker.
"Evidence that emerged during the police investigation indicated the grandma had been buying and dealing prescription pills illegally. She told officers she sometimes had pills in her pocket or shoe," said Parker.
The incident happened when Harless was babysitting the boy at her home in the north central Montana community of Great Falls while her daughter was at the county fair, Parker said. Harless, whose phone did not work, asked neighbors to dial 911 because the infant was unresponsive, he said.
Emergency responders found the child dead. An autopsy showed he had a high concentration of oxycodone in his bloodstream, as well as cocaine, Parker said. Testing of Harless' blood revealed she also had ingested oxycodone and cocaine, he said.
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Harless was sentenced on Monday by a state judge in Great Falls, he said.
Parker said the case was one of six in the last seven years in the city of more than 50,000 residents in which a parent, relative or family friend had faced a homicide charge tied to a child's death. The one involving Harless and her grandson was the first linked to a fatal drug overdose, he said.
