Mankato woman pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of her child

A Mankato woman pleaded guilty earlier this month in connection to the death of her child in February 2020.

According to court records, Chelsea Rae Olinger pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree manslaughter on March 1.

Olinger was originally charged with second- and third-degree murder, first-degree assault and malicious punishment of a child.

Mankato mother charged with assault, baby on life support

Olinger was charged with felony assault after she brought her unresponsive 16-month-old child to a hospital. The child also had bruises, rib fractures, broken vertebrae and a lacerated liver. Tests indicated the boy had no brain activity.

The boy died Feb. 12, 2020. A preliminary autopsy report listed the cause of death as "complications of multiple blunt force injuries" and the manner of death as homicide. Prosecutors filed additional charges after the boy died.

Olinger told investigators the toddler fell down a flight of stairs. Officials said she also told investigators she might have hit her child’s head on the side of a crib and that she put her hand over the child’s month in an attempt to get the toddler to stop crying.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.