News

Actions

Utah mother pleads guilty to murdering 6 newborns, faces up to life in prison

Posted at 10:00 AM, Feb 12, 2015
and last updated 2015-02-12 20:08:55-05

PROVO, Utah - The mother accused of murdering six of her own newborn babies over a 10-year period has pleaded guilty to six counts of first-degree murder.

Megan Huntsman, 39, faces five years to life in prison with each count, a minimum of 30 years behind bars.

The District Attorney is recommending her sentences run concurrently.

She is set to be sentenced April 20.

Huntsman admitted to choking or strangling six of her newborn babies to death in court Thursday.

Huntsman told the judge she has had plenty of time to review the plea deal and is willing to accept it.

Police said Huntsman strangled or suffocated six newborns between 1996 and 2006, a time period officials said she was allegedly addicted to meth.

"I think, from our perspective, balancing justice isn't a difficult question to answer," Deputy Utah County Prosecutor Jared Perkins said. "Six dead infants, she's admitted she's the one responsible for those deaths. It's not hard, from our point of view, what should be done."

Huntsman was arrested April 12, 2014 after her estranged husband found a baby's body hidden in the garage of their Pleasant Grove home.

Investigators found the bodies of six other infants in cardboard boxes.

Huntsman claims one of the infants was stillborn.

She is being held at the Utah County jail on a $6 million bond, that is $1 million for each infant she is accused of killing.

Check back with Fox 13 for the latest updates.