YOUNGSTOWN Woman withdraws drug-charge pleas

YOUNGSTOWN -- A South Side woman accused of involuntary manslaughter in the drug overdose death of her 15-month-old grandson has withdrawn pleas she made on related misdemeanor drug charges in Youngstown Municipal Court.
Mary Ann Barnett, 45, of Julian Street had pleaded no contest to two drug abuse charges and one violation of the drug labeling law. She was scheduled for sentencing Friday, but Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly instead permitted the woman to withdraw the pleas.
Barnett now faces a May 6 pretrial and a May 21 trial on the misdemeanors.
Justin Hoschar died Dec. 10 at Forum Health Tod Children's Hospital, where he had been admitted with an overdose.
Authorities say the child's death was the result of his ingestion of oxycodone pills while in Barnett's care. Oxycodone is a prescription painkiller, known by the brand name OxyContin. The Trumbull County Coroner's Office ruled the death accidental.
Besides the misdemeanors, Barnett has been indicted by a Mahoning County grand jury on the involuntary manslaughter charge and two counts of felony drug possession.
The indictment says Barnett recklessly caused the baby's death as a result of child endangering by exposing him to loose OxyContin pills.