Mother pleads guilty to manslaughter after baby dies of meth overdose
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SALMON — A Salmon woman pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter Thursday after her 6-month-old daughter died of a methamphetamine overdose last year.
Heather Elam, 25, was originally charged with first-degree murder but, as part of a plea agreement, the charge was amended to one count of voluntary manslaughter.
Elam is accused of intentionally poisoning her daughter, Serenity Gail Elmore, on Jan. 14, 2015.
Court records show investigators discovered methamphetamine in a bottle of children’s Dimetapp and within a partially full baby bottle. Autopsy reports show the presence of methamphetamine in the child’s stomach, blood and urine.
“Heather did not admit to intentional poisoning her daughter, but she took responsibility for her child’s death today,” James Archibald, Elam’s attorney, told EastIdahoNews.com. “She recognizes she was responsible for keeping her daughter away from the meth that she and several others were using that night.”
Elam could face up to 15 years in prison when Judge Alan Stephans sentences her Nov. 17.