Mom pleads guilty in wreck that spurred NY law

Criminal Law

A mother who drunkenly drove a station wagon full of children into a New York City highway wreck that killed one of them has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a case that spurred a state law.

Carmen Huertas wiped her eyes as she entered her guilty plea Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom packed with her relatives and victims' families.

The October crash occurred as Huertas drove to a slumber party. It killed 11-year-old Leandra Rosado and injured the other six children, including Huertas' daughter. It prompted Leandra's Law, which makes drunken driving a felony if a child is in the vehicle.

Huertas' sentencing is set for Oct. 1. A judge has promised her more than the minimum range of one to three years in prison but less than the maximum range of five to 15 years.

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