AUSTIN — The Cedar Park mother accused of trying to hide evidence in her own son's death has pleaded guilty, according to KVUE's media partners at the Austin American-Statesman.
Meagan Work was set to go to trial Aug. 20 in connection to the 2014 death of her then 2-year-old son, Colton Turner.
Work entered a plea of guilty to a charge of tampering with evidence, and a charge of injury to a child by omission, meaning she failed to find medical care for her son.
"She has accepted responsibility for her part, and is going to leave her fate in the hands of the judge," said Darla Davis, Work's attorney.
"Of course for the State, it's very satisfying to have her admit to her guilt," said Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore.
Work has also faced a charge of injury to a child by omission, meaning she injured Colton and caused his death.
But now, the State took that charge off the table.
"It's just the same range of punishment, and it's just part of getting this thing to a guilty plea. I don't think it's a comment on what we think the evidence will or will not show," said Moore.
"Meagans' sticking point all along is that she did not injure her child," said Davis.
At a sentencing hearing scheduled for November, a judge could give her anywhere from five years to life in prison.
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Police believe Work and her boyfriend, Michael Turner, admitted to burying Colton after he died from a seizure. An affidavit KVUE obtained in 2014 said Michael led police to the boy's body after he and Work dug a shallow grave in southeast Austin. After Michael led police to the grave, detectives then interviewed Work. She told police that sometime in early July, she and Colton were waiting for Michael outside of where he worked when Colton had a seizure. She said she yelled for Michael, who got into the car and drove them back to the motel room where they were staying. Michael told police that Work told him they could not take the boy to the hospital because they would "get in trouble and Colton would be taken away from (them)."
Police said Work told them they attempted to care for Colton at the motel, then she fell asleep. When Work woke up the morning of July 7, 2014, Colton was dead, she told police.
Work told police that on July 6, 2014, Colton hit his head on an air conditioning unit inside of the hotel room as a result of being assaulted. She said Colton could not walk and was not acting normal.
Before her arrest in connection to her son's death, Work had a criminal history including assault and cruelty to animals.
Michael pleaded guilty in 2016 injury to a child by omission and two counts of tampering with physical evidence, one charge for each time he buried the toddler. Michael was not the boy's biological father. He was sentenced to two 20-year sentences, but will serve them concurrently.
The state agency admitted to failing to protect Colton, saying they previously received four reports of abuse.
Friends and family work to keep Colton's memory alive and protect other children. They pushed for Colton's Law, which aims to find children more quickly who have fallen off the radar of CPS.