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Former Butte mother pleads guilty in baby daughter death

Reportedly under the influence of meth at the time
nickerson image.jpg
Posted at 1:44 PM, Mar 04, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-04 20:22:59-05

BUTTE — A former Butte woman pleaded guilty Thursday in connection with the death of her infant daughter in 2019.

Audria Nickerson, 31, changed her plea to guilty to negligent homicide in Butte District Court via remote video from the Butte jail, according to Butte Chief Deputy County Attorney Samm Cox.

Former Butte mother pleads guilty in baby daughter death

Nickerson is accused of falling asleep on her baby daughter while in her car parked near the Butte police department in September of 2019. Nickerson was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time.

Cox said a pre-sentence investigation will be conducted before a sentencing date is set for Nickerson, who remains jailed.

Nickerson was in the process of packing to move from Butte to Maine, when the incident occurred. She had gotten into an argument with her husband and left in her car with her children. Nickerson, who was under the influence of meth at the time, parked near the police station, where she accidentally smothered her infant daughter by falling asleep on her.

Nickerson was not arrested at the time. She had moved to Maine and was arrested three months later after toxicology reports showed meth in her system.

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