Opelousas mom to plead not guilty in baby's death

Posted: Sep 30, 2009 11:58 AM by Jthibodeaux
Updated: Sep 30, 2009 11:58 AM

OPELOUSAS, La. (AP) - A defense attorney says an Opelousas woman accused in the shaking death of her infant will plead not guilty to a second-degree murder charge.
Latonia Lavergne was arrested Wednesday by the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office, after an investigation that lasted more than a year.
Her 4-month-old son died in August 2008.
Her attorney, Elbert Guillory, says the case is "a double tragedy" because Lavergne lost a baby and now faces criminal charges.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says an autopsy found brain trauma consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
Guillory says he believes the child died of an illness.

Topics: shaking death, OPELOUSAS, La., Latonia Lavergne, shaken baby syndrome