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Spring Hill mother pleads guilty in child's death

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By MITCHELL KLINE

FRANKLIN — A Spring Hill woman has pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and reckless homicide in the death of her 20-month-old daughter.

Jennifer Alvey, 36, struck a plea agreement with prosecutors to avoid a murder trial.

Prosecutors dropped first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse charges in exchange for Alvey's agreeing to let a judge decide how a 15-year sentence would be served.

Williamson County Circuit Court Judge Robbie Beal, who accepted Alvey's guilty pleas, will announce a sentence on Sept. 29.

Her attorney, Mark Puryear, said the defense is seeking a suspended sentence.

"The last two years and eight months have been horrible for her with the loss of her child and dealing with the pending criminal charges," Puryear said.

Alvey told police at the hospital that her daughter, Emma, had fallen down while playing with a walk-behind toy.

She later told investigators the truth about what happened on Oct. 19, 2005.

Alvey said she was in the kitchen and heard Emma crying in another room.

The girl wouldn't stop fussing.

"I swear, without thinking I just shook her, and she hit her head on the coffee table," Alvey wrote in a statement to police.

"I instantly felt horrible and cuddled her on the couch till I put her in bed to nap.

"I had no idea that I had hurt her till I went to get her up and she wouldn't wake up."

Emma, who was adopted from China by Phillip and Jennifer Alvey, had suffered a skull fracture. She died on Oct. 24, 2005.

Alvey was arrested Dec. 13, 2005.

She spent four hours at the county jail and has remained free on $250,000 bail.

District Attorney General Kim Helper said it was too early to say what sentence prosecutors would seek.

"She has accepted responsibility for the death, which is important to note," Helper said.

Contact Mitchell Kline at 771-5417 or mkline@tennessean.com.

2008 Jun 24