SALEM, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts woman has pleaded not guilty to a charge related to the 2015 death of her baby.
Twenty-three-year-old Laci Kirk, also known as Laci Brand, was arraigned in Salem Superior Court on Thursday on a charge of wanton or reckless child endangerment.
Her 4-month-old son, Charles Brand III, died Sept. 26, 2015, at a homeless shelter in Lynn where they were staying.
Prosecutors say Kirk spent that day drinking with a friend while the infant was left largely unattended for a long period of time in a cluttered crib.
An autopsy determined he died of natural causes.
Kirk was indicted Tuesday but her whereabouts were initially unknown. She was later located, and a judge set her bail at $15,000.
Her lawyer did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
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