Shawnee woman pleads guilty to sodomy, child abuse involving 5-year-old
A Shawnee woman has pleaded guilty in Johnson County District Court to charges of aggravated criminal sodomy and child abuse involving a 5-year-old, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Elizabeth Marie Francis, 28, was initially charged in June with abuse and endangerment of a child after the 5-year-old was taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital in December 2018. The child was bruised and malnourished from starvation, the Johnson County District Attorney’s office alleged at the time.
Prosecutors later amended the charges to include sodomy and aggravated battery.
Per a plea agreement signed Tuesday, the battery and endangerment charges were dismissed and Francis pleaded guilty to one count of sodomy and one count of child abuse for the neglect and starvation of the 5-year-old in Shawnee, the district attorney’s office said in a statement.
According to the plea agreement, prison sentences of 147 months on the sodomy charge and 31 months on the child abuse charge are being recommended for Francis.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled March 9.
Francis’ boyfriend, John Carter, 36, was also charged in the case, which is pending in district court. Carter has pleaded not guilty to child abuse and endangerment charges.
This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 9:47 PM.
