WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren OhioWoman pleads guilty to reduced charges in toddler death

Woman pleads guilty to reduced charges in toddler death

A woman accused of killing a toddler last April was in court Thursday.

Bonnie Pattinson plead guilty to an amended charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 21-month-old Tiffany Sue Banks.

Pattinson was originally charged with murder and felonious assault.

Loretta Banks, the child's biological grandmother, said she doesn't understand why the charges were reduced.

"My grandchild had bruises and marks all over her body, choke marks. She asphyxiated on her own throw-up and no one's doing anything for her. They're just throwing this aside," Banks said.

Trumbull county assistant prosecutor Diane Barber said it would have been difficult to prove the original charges.

"I couldn't prove that she intended to cause the death of Tiffany Banks. I could prove she did proximity the cause of death during the commission of an assault," Barber said.

The judge denied a motion to reduce her bond from $1 million and ordered a presentencing investigation.

According to Banks' death certificate, she died of asphyxiation related to blunt force trauma.