Charlene Snyder, 29, stands in the courtroom of District Judge David Wall where she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday morning in the death of her 2-year-old daughter. Photos by Clint Karlsen. Jack Richardson, 26, stands in court Wednesday. Richardson maintained his plea of not guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the death of 2-year-old Adacelli Snyder, rejecting prosecutors' offer to drop the child abuse and neglect charges that he is also facing.

The few words that Charlene Snyder softly spoke as she confessed to allowing her 2-year-old daughter to die of starvation and neglect could hardly be heard Wednesday over the routine paper shuffling and whispering in District Judge David Wall's courtroom.

Snyder changed her initial plea and acknowledged guilt in the death of her daughter, Adacelli, in one of the most horrific cases of child abuse and neglect in Clark County.

"She basically said she failed to properly care for her child and the child died," said David Schieck, her attorney, who was standing next to her.

He said she changed her plea to spare her other three children the pain and publicity that would have resulted if the high-profile case had gone to trial.

Snyder, 29, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and now faces a sentence of either 10 to 25 years in prison or 10 years to life in prison. She is to be sentenced Jan. 22.

She could have faced more prison time if convicted of her original charges.

In addition to the second-degree murder charge she had been charged with four counts of child abuse and endangerment, which each carries up to 20 years in prison.

Prosecutor Thomas Moreo noted that since Snyder pleaded guilty to the most serious charge, second-degree murder, she may yet receive a life sentence, so prosecutors "got what we were looking for" with the plea bargain even though the four other charges against Snyder were dropped.

Wall asked Snyder on Wednesday if her failure to provide sustenance and a clean environment resulted in the death of her daughter, to which she answered, "Yes."

Police found the toddler, who had cerebral palsy, dead in June 2005 in Snyder's east Las Vegas mobile home.

Metropolian Police Department Abuse and Neglect Specialist Cynthia Sauchak last year testified to a Clark County grand jury that every room of the mobile home except for the bedroom of Snyder and her boyfriend, Jack Richardson, was infested with insects and filthy with garbage and animal feces.

According to grand jury transcripts, the home's shower had cobwebs in it, the sinks were full of debris and dirty dishes, and the home's toilet was inoperable.

Snyder had bottles she said she used to feed her babies, but the bottles were moldy.

Adacelli was emaciated, dehydrated, had severe head lice and "an-ulcerated diaper rash," Dr. Gary Telgenhoff of the Clark County coroner's office told the grand jury.

The other children in the mobile home, a boy who was 11 months old at the time and two girls, who were 5 and 3, had also been abused and neglected, the grand jury was told.

Richardson, 26, is the biological father of only the boy. Richardson did not agree to the plea deal and is expected to go to trial this spring.

He and Snyder have lost their parental rights, but Snyder "still cares deeply for her other children," Schieck said.

Adacelli's siblings are living at their grandmother's house and are doing well, Schieck said.