Woman convicted in girl's morphine OD death

EAST ST. LOUIS -- A 27-year-old southern Illinois woman has been convicted of giving a fatal dose of morphine to her 4-year-old niece.

Jurors deliberated for about three hours Thursday before finding Fredricka Lyles of East St. Louis guilty in the death of Deanna Johnson. Johnson died on Nov. 24.

Lyles was charged with one count of drug-induced homicide, four counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, and four counts of endangering the life of a child.

Deanna's brothers testified this week that Lyles gave them pills to swallow.

Defense attorney Justin Kuehn said during closing arguments that the children took the pills on their own.

Lyles will be sentenced at a later date.