BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A mother accused of killing her daughter, 2-year-old Nevaeh Allen, in 2021, declined a plea deal Thursday.
Lanaya Cardwell, 28, who faces a second-degree murder charge, did not take a plea deal offered by state prosecutors. Prosecutors offered to charge her with a cruelty to juveniles charge, meaning she would face a maximum of 10 years in jail. Judge Fred Crifasi offered Cardwell the opportunity to review the plea with her counsel and family.
An affidavit said Cardwell had allegedly punched Allen in the torso, causing the child to hit her head on a cabinet. The girl was later found unresponsive after complaining of stomach pain…