Mother pleads guilty in daughters overdose death

Paula Jane Shipley, 46 of Hampstead, is pleading guilty to manslaughter in the drug overdose death of her 4-year-old daughter Cassandra. According to defense attorney Haven Shoemaker Jr., Shipley is also pleading guilty to reckless endangerment at her hearing in Westminster on Wednesday. Shipley was charged with second-degree murder, neglect of a minor and first-degree child abuse resulting in death in September. She told doctors that her daughter may have gotten into her prescription medicines. An autopsy found the narcotic hydromorphone and the anti-anxiety drug lorazepam Cassandras system. Over the counter pain and allergy medications were also found by the autopsy. Shoemaker claims that the autopsy was inconclusive as to how the drugs got into the girls system.