Mother accepts plea deal in 3-year-old’s death

A 29-year-old woman originally charged with second-degree murder in the death of her 3-year-old son pleaded guilty Tuesday to lesser charges.

Elizabeth Stack took a deal from prosecutors, pleading guilty to one count each of child abuse and neglect and child abuse with substantial bodily harm, both felonies, District Court records showed.

Prosecutors have retained the right to argue at a sentencing hearing scheduled for Oct. 5 before Judge Michelle Leavitt.

Stack's boyfriend, Jesse Parsons, also was charged with murder and multiple counts of child abuse in the March death of Leland Garcia.

Defense attorney Joel Mann said his client is devastated.

"No matter what sentence she gets from the judge, she will never escape the memory that she had something to do with her son's death. She's going to have to live with that for the rest of her life," he said.

Las Vegas police said Parsons would discipline Leland by striking him with a metal object or a wooden paddle. Police found the child unconscious, with severe bruising on his head and body. He also suffered internal injuries consistent with blunt-force trauma, police said.

Stack was present for many of the attacks but did not stop them, authorities said.

Mann said Stack was abused by her ex-husband, Leland's father, and was "no longer able to step in and stop" Parsons. The ex-husband was charged with trying to kill Stack and was deported.

Leland was one of seven siblings, some of whom also were abused. Parsons is not the father of any of the children.

Leland's siblings were placed in protective custody after Stack and Parsons were arrested.

According to court records, the case against Parsons was put on hold after physicians found he was incompetent to stand trial. Parsons was sent in May to Lake's Crossing, Nevada's institution for offenders with mental illness.