Mom Accused In Child's Drowning To Stand Trial On More Charges
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A woman accused in the drowning death of her toddler will now stand trial on additional charges.
Police say Sharon Flanagan illegally recorded her interview with police detectives.
Flanagan, of Inwood, W. Va., was initially charged with drowning her 2-year-old son in a bathtub at the Best Western in Green Tree last July.
In addition to that homicide charge, she was also hit with six felony wiretap charges.
That's why she was in court Thursday.
Investigators say she had a recorder inside her handbag the day she was interviewed about her son's death.
It's illegal in Pennsylvania to record someone without their permission. The 34-year-old was held for court on those additional wiretap charges.
"There were questions about the size of the recorder that was used. And our contention is that it's a commercial recorder; it's one that any of your viewers could go down to Walmart and purchase, so it's not something that Ms. Flanagan had specially made by the FBI. This was something that was purchased at the local Walmart or Rite Aid," said Blaine Jones, the defense attorney. "And we're excited about the result. We have no complaints whatsoever; we set out to accomplish a goal and that goal was exceeded today."
One of the six felony counts was dropped.
RELATED LINKS:
W. Va. Mother Now Facing Wiretap Charges After Recording Police (5/20/13)
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