KNEU/JACK FM- TOP NEWS STORIES

A NEOLA WOMAN ACCUSED OF MURDERING HER FOSTER SON HAS ACCEPTED A PLEA DEAL. LISA JO VANDERLINDEN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO CHILD ABUSE HOMICIDE IN THE DEATH OF 2 YEAR OLD LUCAS CALL IN AUGUST OF 2018. VANDERLINDEN’S CASE WAS SET FOR TRIAL LATER THIS MONTH WHERE SHE WAS FACING CHARGES OF AGGRAVATED MURDER. SHE HAS NOW PLEADED GUILTY TO FIRST DEGREE CHILD ABUSE HOMICIDE AND TAKES NO RESPONSIBILTY FOR INFLICTING INJURY BUT AGREES THAT AS A NURSE AND A TRAINED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL SHE IS GUILTY OF NOT SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR THE 2 YEAR OLD AFTER THE BOY BEGAN TO HAVE MANY SERIOUS MEDICAL ISSUES DUE TO WHAT LISA CLAIMS ARE UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE UTAH MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE DETERMINED THAT CALL HAD SUSTAINED MULTIPLE INJURIES, BUT ULTIMATELY DIED FROM A BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA. ARREST REPORTS STATE THAT VANDERLINDEN BECAME “MAD AND FRUSTRATED” WHEN THE BOY DISPLAYED BEHAVOIRAL PROBLEMS AT DINNER AND THEN FAMILY MEMBERS REPORTED HEARING A LOUD BANG COMING FROM A BATHROOM WHERE VANDERLINDEN HAD TAKEN THE BOY. CHARGES STATE THE BOY WAS NOT ACTING NORMAL AFTER THE BATHROOM INCIDENT AND WOULDN’T WALK. CALL DIED LATER THAT NIGHT AND WAS FOUND IN HIS CRIB THE NEXT MORNING, UNRESPONSIVE. MORE THAN 50 PICTURES OF THE HORRIFIC ABUSE CALL’S BODY SUFFERED WERE SUBMITTED AS EVIDENCE IN THE CASE AGAINST VANDERLINDEN, AS WERE MEDICAL EXAMINER’S REPORTS AND TEXT MESSAGES BETWEEN VANDERLINDEN AND A FRIEND. THE UTAH DIVISION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES ALSO REPORTED THAT THERE WERE MULTIPLE UNSUPPORTED AND UNSUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT AGAINST VANDERLINDEN SPECIFICALLY FOR HITTING OR PUNCHING A MINOR CHILD. SENTENCING HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR MAY 13TH...VANDERLINDEN FACES 5 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON AND A 10 THOUSAND DOLLAR FINE.