No Jail time for woman charged in death of infant son

Katherine Papke

An Anniston Woman, charged in the death of her infant son after leaving him in a vehicle in August 2013 pleaded guilty to misdemeanor criminally negligent homicide Wednesday.

A Calhoun County grand jury indicted Katherine Papke for manslaughter after her son died from being strapped in his car seat in her hot van for hours at the National Guard Center at McClellan in Anniston. Papke later found him and called 911.

According to a joint press release issued by all parties involved in th case, the Calhoun County District Attorneys Office investigation revealed Papke admitted she was overwhelmed by work and personal obligations and forgot that her child was in the back seat when she reported to work.

Through the plea, Papke accepted responsibility for her role in the unintentional death of her child, 4-month-old Bennett Owen "Bo" Smith.

Papke has been accepted into a diversionary program that will allow her to avoid prison time.

If Papke completes the conditions of her diversionary sentence, she could eventually have her guilty plea removed from her record.

Papke, who had a "meritorious service record" in the military and no criminal history will continue

to serve in the military, according to the joint press release.

She will also continue to cooperate with the Department of Human Resources in regards to the custody of her two daughters, who are in custody of her ex-husband.