GUILTY PLEA ENTERED IN CHILD KILLING

The Buffalo News

A county-certified foster mother pleaded guilty today to a reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter for fatally beating a 22-month-old foster girl, one of two in her custody, last October.

Arthurlein Holcomb, 36, of Lisbon Avenue, was subdued but quietly sobbed, as she pleaded guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Mario J. Rossetti.She has been jailed since her arrest hours after the little girl's death last Oct. 26.

Rossetti refused to give Holcomb a sentencing commitment before ordering her to remain jailed pending her March 28 sentencing. She faces a possible 25-year prison term on the plea, court officials said.

Prosecutor Joseph M. Mordino told the judge that Erie County District Attorney Frank J. Clark authorized the plea in what had been a second-degree murder case over the death of Jaymaya Auls because of the stiff prison term Holcomb still faces and the fact that she has no criminal history.

Mordino also said Clark took into consideration the fact that Holcomb's 11-year-old biological daughter shows no signs of ever having been physically abused.

Holcomb did not explain why she severely beat the little girl, but after her arrest, Buffalo police officials said she told officers the fatal incident came at a time when she said she needed "help for my anger" problems.

An autopsy showed the girl suffered severe internal injuries.

Court officials said Holcomb's husband, Anthony, is believed to have recently regained custody of the couple's daughter. A 4-year-old foster boy who had also been placed with the Holcombs last year was taken from the couple's home by Child Protective Services last fall.

In late November, Arthurlein Holcomb was indicted on two counts of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree manslaughter for what an Erie County grand jury described as "depraved indifference" to the life of her foster daughter. Holcomb's husband was not charged in the case.

The dead girl had been placed with the Holcombs last June. Court records indicated that the defendant had completed a 10-week training program for foster parents and her home had been checked for safety before the Erie County Social Services Department placed the two foster children with her.

Holcomb also had passed a state-required criminal background check before she was made a foster parent, according to court records.

e-mail: mgryta@buffnews.com