Mother charged in connection with child’s death

KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) - The mother of a 2-year-old boy who was beaten and died in February 2015 is now charged in connection with his death.

The Daily Inter Lake reports (https://bit.ly/1U82k0w ) prosecutors charged 23-year-old Takara Juntunen with felony negligent homicide in the death of Forrest Groshelle. She also is charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs. An arrest warrant has been issued for Juntunen with bond set at $100,000.

Prosecutors allege Juntunen negligently caused her son’s death by placing him in the care of 22-year-old Brandon Newberry, who she knew or should have known was using methamphetamine and was injuring the child. Prosecutors allege she didn’t seek medical care for her son, who had been throwing up in the days before his death. An autopsy found the boy was poisoned after suffering a lacerated small intestine.

Newberry is serving a 40-year sentence for mitigated deliberate homicide.

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Information from: Daily Inter Lake, https://www.dailyinterlake.com