Cheryl Busch, charged with shooting and killing her 19-month-old daughter on the family’s Shore Road property in November 2008, has pleaded guilty to the crime.
Busch, 41, has admitted to killing her 19-month-old daughter with a .357 Magnum. Â
Her trial has been pushed back several times, with the most recent delay moving the scheduled jury-trial date from March 26 to April 9. Busch, though, pleaded guilty to the murder charge at a Friday pre-trial hearing, according to the San Benito County District Attorney’s Office.
Her sentence hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. May 18 at the San Benito County Courthouse.
Previously, Busch spent time at Patton State Hospital after she had been admitted there in March 2010. After she took part in a trial competency program at the hospital, a judge last May ruled she was mentally competent for trial. About five months ago, public defender LaForge filed another motion on her behalf contending she is mentally incompetent for a jury trial. A judge in late November ruled for a second time that Busch is mentally competent to stand trial.
She previously pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. She faces 25 years to life in prison.
