A Tennessee mother who pleaded guilty to trying to poison her children with a deadly cocktail of medicines has been spared jail time, following an impassioned plea from her victims.
Nelsondra Watson, 43, was accused of trying to kill her three children – two adults and one minor – on the night of April 8, 2018, by slipping them a mixture of NyQuil and the anti-depressant Lexapro. Watson had then planned to die by suicide.
She ‘waited up all night for her children to die,’ but when they did not, Watson called her doctor, who then called police.
The mother was arrested soon after and charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, reckless endangerment, child abuse, and food adulteration.
Nelsondra Watson, 43, pleaded guilty to just three counts of adulteration of a food or liquid, while the other charges against her were dismissed. A judge then issued her sentence of five years supervised probation, commencing September 10
But on Tuesday, Watson pleaded guilty to just three counts of adulteration of a food or liquid, while the other charges against her were dismissed.
A judge then issued her sentence of five years supervised probation, commencing September 10.
The charge reduction, in large, came as a result of an impassioned plea from her children, who Watson had no contact with 15 months, in accordance with restrictions set out in a surety bond.
Regardless, her two sons Alonzo and Mario Watson, wrote to the court to implore to a judge that their mother would have never intentionally tried to kill them, citing her well documented history with mental health issues and suggested a recent change in her medication may have caused her to have ‘suicidal tendencies’.
‘I trust her with my life, and I know that she would not intentionally harm me or my siblings,’ Mario Watson wrote in his letter. ‘She has been a major influence in all of our lives. I believe the medication is at fault. Everything only started falling apart after the medicine came into play which was given to her for her depression.’
Court records showed that Watson had contacted her doctor the day of the attempted murders seeking readmission to the Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital, claiming she attempted to kill her children.
Watson was accused of trying to kill her three children – two adults and one minor – on the night of April 8, 2018, by slipping them a mixture of NyQuil (right) and the anti-depressant Lexapro (left). Watson had then planned to die by suicide. She ‘waited up all night for her children to die,’ but when they did not, Watson called her doctor, who then called police.
Her eldest son, Alonzo, went a step further saying she wasn’t guilty of the incident at all.
‘I’m writing to say she isn’t guilty,’ his letter began. ‘I believe her depression came from living with our father. I recently found out that the side effects of the medication she was on caused suicidal tendencies. I have come to the conclusion that her depression came from the medication.’
Court records show that Watson, who cares full-time for her daughter with profound autism, had mental health issues prior to April 2018.
She will go through a judicial diversion program, where her record can be expunged at end of her probation if she complies with the conditions of her five years supervised probation.
She will also have to adhere other special conditions, including treatment for her mental health and remain medication compliant.
Other conditions also include her having to sign a waiver so a probation officer may monitor her treatment, and follow all other valid court orders, as well as reporting to court every six months for a status review that shows documentation supporting treatment and medication compliance.
Additionally, she can’t have any violent contact with her children.
Her first review is slated for March 27, 2020.