Ohio Mother Pleads Guilty To Killing Infant Sons

BELLEFONTAINE, OH — Brittany Pilkington has pleaded guilty to murdering her three infant sons, prosecutors announced this week. She was given two consecutive life sentences for the killings.

Pilkington, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday. She was accused of smothering to death her three sons, Niall, Gavin and Noah, who died in July 2014, April 2015 and August 2015, respectively.

“A guilty plea cannot undo the heartless acts this woman committed against defenseless children – she does not deserve to be called mom,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “But locking her up will at least guarantee she won’t be able to repeat this evil.”

Logan County Prosecutor Eric Stewart said the state did not seek the death penalty in this case because of Pilkington's mental status.

“Initially, the indictment in this case included specifications for the death penalty, however, one of the state’s own experts advised that the death penalty was not appropriate in this case due to the mental defects of the defendant," Stewart said. Pilkington's defense team argued she suffered mental trauma after years of childhood abuse and lead poisoning.

Prosecutors spoke with the family of the victims, the Bellefontaine police department and other officials before deciding not to pursue the death penalty.

"Everyone involved in the case, including investigators, family members of the victims, and this office believes that the two consecutive life sentences is a proper resolution which will bring justice and closure to this tragic case and protect the community from the defendant," Stewart said.