Minn. woman guilty of suicide attempt with kids
A 42-year-old South St. Paul woman who tried to have two of her children commit suicide with her has been sentenced to more than 38 years in prison.
Patricia Ann Becht will be eligible for parole in 25 years.
Becht pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree premeditated murder for the death of her 10-year-old son last July. She also pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder of her 11-year-old daughter.
Becht told investigators she gave each child 10 pills of a schizophrenia drug and took 25 herself. She allegedly told the kids heaven would be like Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.
Public defender David Warg says what adds to the tragedy is that in Becht's state of mind at the time, she believed she was committing an act of mercy to end their pain.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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