BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) — The babysitter of a child who drowned in a swimming pool in 2020 entered into an Alford plea on Wednesday in Berkeley County court.
Stefanie Ann Johnson ”… entered a guilty plea to unlawful conduct towards a child, and she entered an Alford plea to a lesser charge of inflicting great bodily injury upon a child,” Johnson’s attorney told News 2.
An Alford Plea is when a defendant maintains their innocence but admits that case evidence would likely result in a guilty verdict if the case is brought to trial.
On May 23, first responders found the two-year-old “went limp and had shallow breathing after being found face down in a swimming pool,” according to an affidavit from the Hanahan Police Department (HPD). The affidavit went on to say the child had visible injuries and bruises on the forehead and lips.
The toddler was taken to the Medical University of South Carolina by first responders, where they were placed on a ventilator and later died.
After the incident, Johnson admitted to being under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs while the toddler was in her care.