Mother sentenced to five years in prison for toddler son's death
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A woman has been sentenced to five years in prison in the 2019 exposure death of her 21-month-old son, whom the mother left behind to get help after the family's vehicle got stuck in rural northwestern New Mexico.
Tonya Dale Male was sentenced Oct. 25 in federal court in Albuquerque after previously pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Kyron Kelewood, the Farmington Daily Times reported.
Dale said in a letter to District Judge Kea Riggs that Dale's son would still be alive but for wrong decisions she made.
Dale admitted to driving while intoxicated on alcohol and methamphetamine in an area north of Shiprock the night of June 26, 2019.
Dale left the toddler and a baby by an empty water tank the morning of June 27, 2019 when she went to find help.
By the time she returned to the water tank with emergency personnel, the toddler had wandered off.
His body was found June 28, 2019 after a search by multiple agencies and volunteers.
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