GOLDEN — A 30-year-old Lakewood woman was sentenced Tuesday to 19 years in prison for giving birth in a toilet and letting the baby drown.
Cheri Kostur was charged with child abuse resulting in death for the Jan. 21, 2007, death of her daughter, Kerra.
However, a jury deadlocked in June, and a plea agreement reduced the charge to child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury.
“I miss my daughter very much,” Kostur told the court, “and if I could do it over, I would help her.”
Kostur also was sentenced for unlawful use of methamphetamines.
During the trial, the jury did not hear about Kostur’s meth use after the judge ruled the information prejudicial and inadmissable.
The arrest affidavit states Kostur admitted to police that she smoked meth the day before Kerra’s birth and marijuana two days before.
Kostur told officers she usually stayed high for a day and a half after smoking meth. She also admitted to smoking marijuana and meth earlier in the pregnancy.
Prosecutor Natalie Judson said Kostur did nothing to rescue the premature infant from the toilet. Instead, Kostur cut the umbilical cord with child-size scissors and then threw the baby into a trash can in a tied plastic bag.
Defense attorneys argued that Kostur did what she could and that she didn’t know she was about to give birth.
Her attorney told the court she attempted to hang herself at the age of 9, had no education after ninth grade and was diagnosed as bipolar in her 20s and hospitalized and treated several times for mental-health issues.
Kostur’s mother, Laura Porter, testified that she was angry with her daughter about the baby’s death, saying she had lost another grandchild. Porter said Kostur replied: “Good, now I can hang out with my friends.”
Kostur’s three other children are with their fathers.
Ann Schrader: 303-278-3217 or aschrader@denverpost.com
