Colorado mother pleads guilty after death of her child, is sentenced to prison

A Colorado woman accused in the death of her child was sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty to child abuse resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Nicole Casias, of Brighton, was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Brighton police say her 22-month-old child was found dead with 10 times the amount of fentanyl that is needed to kill an adult in its system. The girl had been exposed while Casias was supposed to be caring for it.

The child's father, Alonzo Montoya, was sentenced to 40 years in prison in April.

Investigators say neither Casias nor Montoya checked on the baby for nearly 14 hours.