A WOMAN charged for the drowning of her 2-year-old son at Tanguisson Beach four years ago is pleading guilty to a lesser charge.
Christina Fanapin Tamannalon, 37, appeared in court yesterday to plead guilty to child abuse as a misdemeanor – as a lesser included offense to child abuse as a third degree felony. The Attorney General's Office will move the court to dismiss the remaining charge of negligent homicide as a third degree felony.
Based on her plea agreement, Tamannalon and prosecutors agreed to a sentence of 360 days imprisonment with credit for time served. Tamannalon spent 24 days behind bars. The remaining period of incarceration would be suspended. A two-year supervised probation was also imposed, along with a number of recommendations.
Tamannalon was accused of neglecting her son, Eric T. Wagthuth, while at a party at Tanguisson Beach on Sept 6, 2008. Tamannalon was sitting under a canopy while her six children went swimming. A few hours later, all but Eric Wagthuth returned. Variety news files state Tamannalon admitted to police she had been drinking beer during the beach event and it wasn’t until 9 p.m. when authorities were notified that her son was missing.
Two days later, on Sept. 8, the son’s body was recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard a few miles off the shore of the Cabras Power Plant in Piti.
Mother pleads guilty to child abuse charge
- Friday, 17 Aug 2012 03:30am
- BY GERALDINE CASTILLO | VARIETY NEWS STAFF
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