LOUISVILLE, KY. (WDRB) -- A woman charged with killing a newborn baby in the bathroom of a state prison pleaded guilty on Tuesday.
Ashley Cox pleaded guilty to manslaughter and evidence tampering, and was sentenced immediately to 20 years in prison. The manslaughter conviction classifies her as a "violent offender," which means she will not be eligible for parole for 12 years.
Cox gave birth to the baby girl in March of 2010 in a bathroom at the Roederer Correctional Complex. She was there visiting an inmate who police said was not the baby's father.
Police said Cox stuffed the infant's mouth with toilet paper, then hid the newborn's body in a trash can. Cox's family members said at the time they believed she didn't know she was pregnant.
