Guilty Plea in Baby-as-Weapon Case

ERIE, Pa. (AP) - March 6, 2007 -- An Erie woman accused of fracturing her baby's skull by swinging the baby to beat her boyfriend pleaded guilty today to aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Twenty-seven-year-old Chytoria Graham is to be sentenced on May 8th. A judge ordered a psychological evaluation of Graham before she is sentenced.

Yesterday, Graham was supposed to plead guilty but backed out of a plea deal at the last minute. Prosecutors say today was the deadline for her to accept the deal and two lesser charges were dropped.

At Graham's preliminary hearing in December, a paramedic testified that Graham said she "swung him like a bat" when asked what happened to her son. Her defense lawyer maintained that she had been lying to protect her boyfriend.

The child has made a full recovery. He and Graham's four other children are in the custody of her parents.

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