Oakdale mom pleads no contest in death of baby

MODESTO -- A 31-year-old Oakdale woman today pleaded no contest to two felonies in connection with the death of her infant daughter, who was found to have high levels of methamphetamine in her body.

Nicole Leann Smith now faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison. Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Nancy Ashley scheduled Smith to return to court May 7 for her sentencing hearing.

The defendant was convicted of willful cruelty to a child and causing great bodily injury to a child. The Stanislaus County district attorney’s office did not offer Smith a plea deal, so the defense attorney told the judge his client would have to enter a no contest plea and let the court decide her sentence.

On Dec. 11, police responded to a report of an unresponsive baby on Obsidian Drive in Oakdale; the child was pronounced dead at Oak Valley Hospital.

Oakdale police later issued a warrant for her arrest after toxicology results showed the 44-day-old infant had a high level of meth in her system.

There will be more with this story later today on modbee.com.