By Shereen Siewert
A Merrill-area mother was sentenced Thursday in connection with her 15-month-old son’s death and will spend four years in prison.
Amber Paige Boyd, 23, was charged May 18, 2021 in Lincoln County Circuit Court of child neglect where the consequence is death, two additional child neglect charges, possession of methamphetamine, possession of amphetamine/LSD/Psiolocin, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia to manufacture methamphetamine in the presence of a child younger than 14 and possession of drug paraphernalia.
As part of a plea agreement, Boyd pleaded guilty to the most serious charge and was convicted of child neglect where the consequence is death. All other charges were dismissed but read into the record.
Police say Boyd, at about 1:20 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2020 called 911 to report she found her child not breathing at her town of Corning home. Boyd told dispatchers she discovered the child “like five minutes” earlier, and called another person before calling 911. Officers and rescue crews arrived about 15 minutes later and noted that the child had numerous bruises to the face, head, arms and legs, according to the criminal complaint.
According to court documents, an autopsy performed the following day showed the child had dozens of lesions on the child’s body and weighed just 17 pounds at the time of his death, below the third percentile for children his age. Blood test results showed the boy had methamphetamine in his body at the time of his death and additional tests showed his siblings also had methamphetamine in their urine, according to court documents.
On Thursday, Circuit Judge Jay Tlusty issued Boyd’s sentence and also ordered her to spend six years on extended supervision following her eventual release. She is also required to undergo mental and drug abuse counseling and maintain absolute sobriety.
Boyd’s boyfriend, 26-year-old Cody Gene Robertson, is also facing a felony charge of child neglect where the consequence is death in connection with the case. Court records show Robertson appears to have reached a plea agreement in the case, with a status conference set for July 18.
