Cape woman pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter over fatal dog attack

A Cape Girardeau woman pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree involuntary manslaughter after a 13-month-old girl she was baby-sitting died from injuries sustained in a dog attack.

Erica Jordan, 33, of Cape Girardeau entered the guilty plea in Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.

The case had been scheduled for a bench trial Friday at the Common Pleas Courthouse in Cape Girardeau before Jordan entered the guilty plea.

As part of the agreement, a charge of endangering the welfare of a child was dropped.

The plea agreement did not include a punishment recommendation.

Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecutor Julia Koester urged Judge Benjamin Lewis to impose the maximum punishment of four years in prison.

The judge told a tearful Jordan he assumes her attorney, Malcolm Montgomery, �will argue to put you on probation.�

The fatal attack occurred March 9 at Jordan�s Hanover Street home when her brother�s pit bull/Labrador/malamute attacked the girl, Loxli Chavez. The girl suffered serious injuries and later died at a hospital, police said in a probable-cause statement.

Jordan told police she was temporarily keeping the dog named Smokey for her brother.

In the probable-cause statement, Jordan said Loxli was on the floor within a few feet of Smokey when the attack occurred.

Under questioning from Lewis in court Friday, Jordan acknowledged the same dog previously attacked her son.

In the probable-cause statement, Jordan told police she frequently let the dog loose, but sometimes placed the dog in another room because the dog is �not good with children.�

She said Smokey had been neutered and �she thought the dog had �calmed down,�� according to the statement from police Sgt. Darren Estes.

Jordan told police Smokey was drinking water from a dog bowl right before he attacked the child. She said she suddenly �heard screaming and crying� and saw �blood everywhere,� according to the statement.

Lewis set sentencing for Jan. 18 in circuit court in Jackson.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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