Teenager Gets 40 Years In Boy’s Death

A 15-year-old Kalispell girl was sentenced Friday to 40 years in prison for murder after she admitted poisoning a 2-year-old boy she was baby-sitting.

Joshua Norman died Sept. 10 from large doses of codeine-based cough syrup and Pine Sol cleaner, according to an autopsy report.

Dawn Gauchay at first denied giving the substances to the boy. Later, she told police she gave the boy one tablespoon of cough syrup prescribed by a doctor. Finally, she admitted overdosing the boy.

An autopsy found 10-16 doses of the medicine in the boy’s system and another eight doses unabsorbed in his stomach.

Gauchay, whose case was moved to adult court, wept at the sentencing. She did not testify, but her mother, Pearl, testified that the girl understood and accepted the plea agreement.

District Judge Ted Lympus said he expects Gauchay to serve 10 to 20 years. She will not be eligible for parole until she has completed rehabilitation programs.