Nicole Todd-Smith, the mother accused of overdosing her 44-day-old baby with methamphetamine, pleaded no contest to felony child endangerment and causing great bodily injury or death on Friday, March 22.

The case dates back to Dec. 11, when police were summoned to an unresponsive baby on Obsidian Drive that was later pronounced dead at Oak Valley Hospital. On Jan. 17 police received a toxicology report showing “excessive levels” of the street drug in the baby’s system, causing it to choke on its own vomit.

After obtaining an arrest warrant, police arrested Todd-Smith at her residence on Feb. 18.

Todd-Smith, 31, faces up to 12 years in prison for the charges and returns to court May 7 for sentencing by Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Nancy Ashley.

A “no contest” plea carries the same penalty and has the same legal effect as pleading guilty without actually admitting any guilt.

For more on this story, read the March 27 edition of the Oakdale Leader.