Apr 07, 2020

Nebraska woman sentenced for 3-week-old son's death

Posted Apr 07, 2020 10:14 PM
Ashley Bean
Ashley Bean

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - A Waverly woman whose 3-week-old son died when she fell asleep while breastfeeding him after drinking several shots of tequila was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison.

Ashley Bean, 37, was originally charged with child abuse resulting in death, which carries 20 years to life in prison. But that charged was reduced to knowing and intentional child abuse when Bean agreed to plead no contest in February, The Lincoln Journal-Star reported.

At her plea hearing, Chief Deputy Lancaster County Attorney Bruce Prenda said Bean fell asleep early Dec. 17, 2017, while breastfeeding Axel Xavier Arizola. She had taken a pull of tequila and at least six shots the night before, he said.

Bean found her son pinned between her breast and arm when she awoke and he died later at an Omaha hospital. An autopsy determined he died from asphyxiation.

Prenda said Bean's blood-alcohol content tested at 0.19% - more than twice the legal limit to drive - 3½ hours after she said she took her last drink.