Mother pleads guilty in death of son

MAQUOKETA, Iowa — Danielle Holdgrafer of Andrew pleaded guilty today in the death of her adopted son.

She was sentenced to 50 years in prison by District Judge Marlita Greve.

Holdgrafer faced charges of child endangerment resulting in the death of Collin Holdgrafer, 4, and two counts of child endangerment resulting in bodily injury in connection with Collin and his brother, Darrian.

As part of a plea agreement, she pleaded guilty to the death charge, and the two injury charges were dismissed.

Court documents alleged Danielle Holdgrafer held Collin’s head under the water in a bathtub in their Andrew apartment, resulting in the child’s death.

Prosecutors alleged that Holdgrafer and her late husband, Andrew, “committed an ongoing pattern of neglect and abuse” against both children. The state said she was aware of the abuse and permitted it to continue. A first-degree murder charge initially filed against Danielle Holdgrafer was dropped after the death of her husband, who died of a heart ailment while awaiting trial. He had been charged with child endangerment.

Holdgrafer has been held in Jones County Detention Center in Anamosa.