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Mother Says She Was Playing On Internet When Baby Drowned

WELD COUNTY Colo. (CBS4) - A plea deal is in the works for a mother charged in connection with the drowning of her young son. Shannon Johnson is accused of playing a game on the Internet and leaving her 13-month-old unattended.

The Fort Lupton mother was in court on Wednesday. Johnson was there for her preliminary hearing which she waived.

Prosecutors are now talking about a plea deal for the mom who told police she was busy playing on Facebook while her young son drowned in another room. Johnson said she was playing a game in her living room last September while her son Joseph took a bath by himself.

According to an arrest affidavit, Johnson told police when she couldn't hear Joseph playing in the tub she went to check on him.

She found Joseph sideways in the bath tub, his face in the water.

He later died at Children's Hospital.

When asked why she would let the young boy bathe by himself, Johnson told police the 13-month-old was very independent and liked to be left alone. She also admitted what she did was stupid.

First charged with child abuse knowingly and recklessly causing death, Johnson faces 16 to 48 years behind bars.

Johnson's mother and sister were in court with her on Wednesday when prosecutors announced that a possible plea deal was in the works.

The plea deal would reduce the charge to negligent child abuse which carries a sentence of 10 to 32 years.

Johnson will appear in court in three weeks with her decision. She is being held in the Weld County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

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