Nov 17, 2009 3:43 pm US/Central
Mother Admits To Killing 5-Year-Old Daughter
SKOKIE, Ill. (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
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Mila Petrov, 31, has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the beating death of her 5-year-old daughter, Melanie Beltran
CBS
A woman accused of beating her 5-year-old daughter to death in 2007 pleaded guilty to the charges Tuesday.
Mila Petrov, 31, entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of first-degree murder, according to Cook County State's Attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton.
Petrov is accused in the death of her 5-year-old daughter Melanie Beltran, who died on March 14, 2007 after Petrov allegedly slammed the girl's head into a wall of the Maine Township apartment she shared with her common-law husband Carlos Beltran. She was angry at the child for throwing up, prosecutors alleged. The girl died of blunt head trauma.
Carlos Beltran was sentenced to 20 years in prison in July after he pleaded guilty to a single count of aggravated battery. First-degree murder charges against Beltran were dropped and he agreed to testify against Petrov.
Petrov allegedly called Beltran after the beating death and the two cleaned up before authorities were alerted, officials said.
Melanie was abused "for months and months," said prosecutor Marty Moore. "When she lied, Petrov would put jalapenos and hot sauce in her mouth." Petrov hobbled the girl "when she ran around too much" by making Melanie cross her ankles and wrapping a belt around her legs, Moore said.
Often, she was locked in a closet, he said. Melanie had black eyes, multiple bruises and other signs of child abuse when doctors examined her after her death, Moore said.
Petrov will be sentenced on Dec. 10 at 1:30 p.m. at the Skokie courthouse.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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