UNION, Mo. | The Missouri woman accused of slashing a young mother&#8217;s throat, kidnapping her newborn and passing off the child as her own for five days reached a plea deal with prosecutors.</p><p>Shannon Torrez, 38, of Lonedell, Mo., appeared in court on Friday and entered an Alford plea to one count each of child kidnapping, armed criminal action and first-degree assault. Under the arrangement, the defendant does not admit guilt but concedes there is sufficient evidence for a guilty verdict.</p><p>Seven-day-old Abby Woods was kidnapped on Sept. 15, 2006. Authorities said Abby&#8217;s mother, Stephenie Ochsenbine, then 21, allowed Torrez into the family home, where Abby lived along with her mother, her father, James Woods, and her brother, Connor. The two women lived just a few miles apart in the rural area about 45 miles southwest of St. Louis, but did not know each other.</p><p>Once inside, authorities said Torrez first held Ochsenbine at gunpoint then slashed her throat before leaving with the baby.</p><p>A sentencing hearing, where both sides can present testimony, was set for May 27. Prosecutor Robert Parks said Torrez will likely be sentenced in July or August. Prosecutors are seeking a 30-year sentence.</p><p>Defense attorney Scott Rosenblum said Torrez&#8217; mental state will be the focus of testimony at the sentencing hearing. He declined to elaborate but said Torrez had delivered a stillborn baby just prior to the kidnapping.</p><p>&#8220;This has never been about condoning Shannon&#8217;s behavior, excusing it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This is about explaining it.&#8221;</p><p>Parks said prosecutors agreed to the Alford plea in part to spare the family from reliving the crime.</p><p>&#8220;Stephenie was ready to go through a trial, but she really didn&#8217;t want to go through the whole thing again,&#8221; Parks said.</p><p>Ochsenbine sat in the front row of the courtroom and showed little emotion. Woods kept his arm around her throughout the hearing, and the family declined comment after the hearing.</p><p>Parks described Abby &#8220;as a typical 2-year-old and doing really well.&#8221;