BREAKING NEWS: BABY ELENA'S MOTHER CHANGES PLEA TO GUILTY FOR ROLE IN HER CHILD'S DEATH
- WRIL-FM
- 2 hours ago
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From WRIL The Big One -
Erica Lee Lawson, mother of Elena "Baby Elena" Hembree, was in Bell County Circuit Court today to change her original plea of not guilty in front of Bell Circuit Judge Keith Nagle.
The plea agreement set forth by Bell County Commonwealth's Attorney Mike Taylor addresses three counts in regard to the death of Lawson's daughter. She plead guilty to Aggravated Murder - a class A felony, Failure to Report Child Dependent Neglect or Abuse - a class B misdemeanor, and Wanton Endangerment - 1st degree - a class D felony.
The facts of the plea state that for a period of at least ten days, prior to the death of the child, as disclosed by recently received discovery, Erica Lawson wantonly caused the death of Elena Hembree, her seventeen-month old child. This was under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of the child's life by being consciously aware of, and disregarding, a substantial and unjustifiable risk that the child's death would occur. As a result of this conduct, the child died.
The recommendation for sentencing was for (20) twenty years in prison "as a violent offense" for the first count of Murder. In regard to this count, the commonwealth objected to any motion to mitigate or reduce parole eligibility consideration from 85%.
Count II of the agreement - Failure to Report Child Dependent Neglect or Abuse - resulted in a (90) ninety day sentence to run concurrent with the first count.
Count III - Wanton Endangerment - 1st degree - resulted in a (5) five year sentence to run concurrent with the first count.
Lawson has agreed to cooperate in the case of recently indicted Harvey Gollahan of Middlesboro. Evidence was presented to the Bell County Grand Jury on Thursday May 8, 2025, which returned a true bill.
The four-count indictment charges Gollahan with Murder and three counts of Criminal Abuse - 1st degree for his role in the death of 17-month-old Elena Hembree in July of 2023.
He remains jailed and is scheduled to be arraigned Friday July 11, 2025, at 9:00 am in Bell County Circuit Court.
Erica Lawson was formally sentenced shortly after the hearing.