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December 14, 2010 in Idaho
Post Falls baby sitter pleads guilty to manslaughter
A baby sitter who pushed a 3-year-old Post Falls boy, resulting in a fatal head injury, pleaded guilty today to voluntary manslaughter.
Amanda L. Skogen, 26, faces up to 15 years in prison when she’s sentenced early next year in Kootenai County District Court.
Skogen pleaded guilty this afternoon and had her $1 million bond reduced to $100,000, said Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug.
“We’re pleased to see some resolution to this case,” Haug said.
Prosecutors says Skogen was on her knees when she violently shoved Cohen Johnson on Oct. 4, causing him to fall back and hit his head. She confessed to shoving the boy after he wet his pants and reportedly told police: “I hurt a poor little defenseless boy … And it was all my fault.”
Prosecutors sought a first-degree murder charge against Skogen, which is punishable by up to life in prison or the death penalty, but Magistrate Judge Clark Peterson ruled earlier this month that involuntary manslaughter was the appropriate charge.
But Skogen and prosecutors agreed to a deal in which she pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter, which carries a possible extra five years in prison, said Prosecutor Barry McHugh.
Invasive mussels on the move toward Northwest 
misjustice on December 14 at 5:37 p.m.
Even though what she did was incredibly wrong, at least she admitted guilt and saved the family the torment of a trial. Those two points will, probably, bode well for her in the sentencing phase of her case and could result in a sentence on the lower end of the range.
Alfredo on December 14 at 5:38 p.m.
Well its good to know she’ll definitely be a free woman by the time she’s 40, meanwhile there is an innocent child that will never again have another birthday.
eagleproducer on December 14 at 7:27 p.m.
This case was overcharged from the beginning and the change of the plea deal by the prosecutor is weak sauce.
I offer the deepest sympathies to all affected by this tragedy. The judge has the responsibility to ensure healing, and the supposed core of a Christian culture, forgiveness, begins.
Alfredo on December 14 at 9:02 p.m.
With all due respect spoketucky, I do not think the judge has any responsibility whatsoever to ensure anything involving Christianity…even though I agree with what you’re saying.
DavidBray on December 14 at 11:52 p.m.
This a terrible loss for all the parents involved, the young boy’s and the babysitter’s. It should be obvious that this young lady did NOT intentionally try to kill a child. She acted without thinking. She PUSHED a child. She didn’t stab him, shoot him, strangle him, burn him or try to seriously harm him.
Her feelings of guilt and remorse are obvious to all and anyone with a heart knows she will carry this guilt all her life.
I wonder at the attitude of some, that she should be punished as severely as possible. Why? Punished, yes, but to the point that two lives are destroyed by an unintentional result from this act…..is simply another form of a more unjustified cruelty.
Alfredo on December 15 at 2:32 a.m.
DavidBray, I concur with your feelings, but simply having remorse doesn’t justify the actions. Intentional or not, using a weapon or not, someone lost their life at the hands of another. I’m not saying she deserves capital punishment or anything like that, I’m more upset that the recommended charge is manslaughter. Manslaughter always seems to strike me as the type of charge that usually sounds like they’re getting off easy as opposed to murder.