Jamie Lyn Basinger, 24, a drug-addicted North Carolina mom received no prison time for leaving her three-year-old son outside to fatally freeze to death while she was high.
Landyn Melton, who celebrated his birthday just one day before he tragically died of hypothermia March 15 on the front porch of the family’s Morganton home.
The following morning a horrified neighbor discovered him and immediately called the police.
The meth-addled mother pleaded guilty Monday to involuntary manslaughter.
The district attorney’s office confirmed Melton accepted a plea deal with a suspended sentence of 19 to 32 months along with three years of supervised probation in Burke County Superior Court.
Landyn Melton (left) celebrated his birthday just one day before he died of hypothermia March 15. His mother, Jamie Lyn Basinger, 24, (right) was high on meth at the time
Melton (pictured in court Monday) accepted a plea deal of a suspended sentence of 19 to 32 months along with three years of supervised probation in the Burke County Superior Court
Basinger pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for his death. Her attorney said ‘she didn’t understand this’
Melton’s attorney said his client complied to authorities because ‘she wanted answers herself’
The eight months Basinger had already served behind bars counted toward her final punishment and her felony child abuse charge was also dropped in the deal.
The judge further ordered her to complete 72 hours of community service and if any terms are violated, she faces jail time.
Melton’s attorney said his client complied with authorities because ‘she wanted answers herself’ about the nightmare March incident.
‘She didn’t understand this — it didn’t make sense to her,’ Frank Webster said in a court statement.
Assistant District Attorney Michelle Lippert said she was shocked the police officer didn’t ‘break the storm door glass’ from knocking at the door after finding the child
The mom was unconscious for several hours while her son was locked outside in the freezing temperatures
‘When this happened, when she saw Landyn laying on the porch, she broke down in tears — falling on the ground. She’s really never stopped crying since, your honor.’
On her son’s third birthday, she smoked marijuana in concoction with the methamphetamine she used the day before. Melton admitted she had been using different drugs in days leading up to her son’s death.
Her son was locked outside, alone, in the freezing 21-degree weather while she was unconscious for several hours.
On her son’s third birthday, Melton smoked marijuana in concoction with her use of methamphetamine the day prior
A horrified neighbor found the three-year-old that March morning and immediately called police
Police found smudge marks from the toddler on the windows – showing his attempts to get back inside to warmth.
Landyn had ‘blood on his face, but an autopsy showed no signs of trauma.’
Assistant District Attorney Michelle Lippert said she was shocked the officer at the scene didn’t ‘break the storm door glass’ from knocking so violently afterward.
‘She was supposed to be supervising this child,’ Lippert argued. ‘He had just turned 3, he was outside.
Police sadly found smudge marks left from the toddler on the windows showing his attempts to get inside the home
‘By her own admission, she was sleeping harder than normal. She didn’t hear him — didn’t hear him leave the room, didn’t hear him leave the house, didn’t hear him banging on the door. She was asleep while he was freezing to death.’‘
Melton’s boyfriend, Joshua Steffey, who was also inside the house, also admitted to being high when he answered the door.
Webster said residents of the neighborhood are now ‘calling for her blood.’
Melton, a mother to one other young child, will be required to undergo a substance abuse assessment and acquiesce to the orders of the Department of Social Services.
‘The court system, all of us will move on. We’ll go on to other things … She’ll never go on. She’ll never be able to move past this,’ Webster added.
Melton is a mother to one other child (shown right) She will be required to undergo a substance abuse assessment and acquiesce to orders from the Department of Social Services
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