24-year-old Pender mother pleads guilty to second-degree murder of infant son
A Rocky Point mother will spend the next decade behind bars for her role in the death of her infant.
Lauren McCary, 24, was arrested in June 2022 and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of her 7-month-old son. On Monday in Pender County Superior Court, McCary pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of her son, according to a news release from District Attorney Ben David's office.
Deputies received a 911 call on May 4 and responded to McCary's residence where they found her 7-month-old son unresponsive. He was transported to New Hanover Regional Medical Center and died the next morning.
In other court news: Mother pleads guilty to murder in Brunswick court after 1997 beating leads to son's death
In the 911 call, McCary told emergency response personnel that she had momentarily left the child alone on a bed and he stopped breathing. The Pender County Sheriff's Office found the circumstances suspicious and investigated further.
An autopsy report released by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner concluded the child's cause of death was asphyxia due to smothering.
According to Monday's news release, McCary told law enforcement that she was suffering from untreated postpartum depression and, on more than one occasion, told law enforcement she had harmed her son.
Judge Frank Jones sentenced McCary to serve 10 to 13 years in prison.
Reach reporter Jamey Cross at jbcross@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Rocky Point mother pleads guilty in smothering death of infant son
