Attempt to withdraw guilty plea in Montgomery boy's 2014 murder denied

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - A judge has denied a motion filed by Natasha Cottrell to withdraw her guilty plea in the 2014 capital murder of a 23-month-old boy.

The 36-year-old was arrested several months after the April 16, 2014 death of Ashton Easterling. The child was found after police responded to a residence in the 1800 block of Crouson Street. He later died at an area hospital.

Cotrell was a caretaker to Ashton and his twin brother.

She was arrested in August 2014 after completion of an autopsy that determined the baby's death was a homicide due to physical assault and trauma.

Cotrell went on trial in May but agreed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of felony murder before a verdict was reached.

She will spend 30 years in prison.

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