Mother pleads guilty to child endangering

January 8, 2014 at 1:21p.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

A woman who was arrested after her baby sustained severe injuries in July entered guilty pleas Wednesday to two counts of child endangering.

Julie Keyes, 28, entered the pleas before Judge Lou D’Apolito in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.

Assistant Prosecutor Natasha Frenchko said the state will stand silent at sentencing and abide by whatever Judge D’Apolito agrees is an appropriate sentence.

Mark Verkhlin, one of two attorneys for Keyes, asked for a sentence of four years with an option for judicial release after two years.

Judge D’Apolito said he will not make up his mind about sentencing until he learns of the severity of the infant’s injuries and the prognosis for the baby’s future. Frenchko said she would not release medical information about the baby until sentencing.

Keyes also has a 3-year-old child. Both that child and the one who she pleaded guilty to injuring are in the custody of relatives.

The baby, 4 months old at the time of the incident, was taken to Akron Childrens Hospital in Boardman July 9 by his father, then transferred to the Akron campus.