Woman Enters Not-Guilty Plea in Death of Lakewood Toddler From 2008

The News Tribune reported that Leanne Michelle Bechtel was arraigned Tuesday on a charge of second-degree murder in the death of 3-year-old Autumn Franks. Pierce County Court Commissioner Patrick Oishi entered a not guilty plea for Bechtel in Superior Court.

The incident happened in April 2008. Prosecutors claim in court documents that Bechtel fatally harmed the girl while they were home alone. Bechtel was the live-in girlfriend of the girl's father, and the defendant has said Franks suffered the fatal injury after Bechtel's dog knocked the toddler off a couch, the newspaper reported.

Prosecutors didn't file charges initially, but they reversed that decision after a pediatric expert analyzed the case. Bechtel was arrested by federal marshals in Oregon last week after a warrant was issued for her arrest.