Plea deal in works for woman accused of killing daughter
A Waukegan woman accused of killing her malnourished 11-year-old daughter will be presented with a potential plea deal in the case, according to her defense attorney.
Nicholette Lawrence, 34, faces 14 counts of first-degree murder in the September 2014 death of Raasania Coley. She faces life in prison if convicted.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Fred Day and Keith Grant, a public defense lawyer, said during a court hearing Tuesday that the sides have been negotiating a possible plea deal for Lawrence.
"We received a formal offer from the state and we need to talk to Miss Lawrence about it," Grant said.
Neither side detailed the possible plea bargain during the appearance before Lake County Circuit Judge James Booras or outside of court.
Waukegan firefighters found Raasania unresponsive at her Gillette Avenue home Sept. 5, 2014. The girl, who was pronounced dead later at a hospital, weighed just 55 pounds, authorities said.
An autopsy revealed Raasania was malnourished and had been burned with cigarettes. Lawrence told investigators she had punched the girl in the stomach two days before her death, according to prosecutors.
Lawrence has been held on a $5 million bail at the Lake County jail since her arrest a little more than two years ago.