An Evergreen mother admitted Monday that she played a role in her 2-year-old son’s death on Feb. 18, 2015. 

Takara Juntunen, 22, pleaded guilty in Flathead District Court to felony negligent homicide as part of a plea agreement in which an additional charge of felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs was dropped.

Juntunen said little in the hearing Monday other than answers of, “Yes, your honor” and “yes, sir,” in response to questions asked by her attorney or Flathead District Judge Heidi Ulbricht. 

In the plea agreement Juntunen admitted to the following: 

“On or between Dec. 1, 2014, through Feb. 17, 2015, I had placed my child in the care of Brandon Newberry and should have known he was causing injury to my child,” Juntunen admitted in the plea agreement. “Mr. Newberry was using methamphetamine on a daily basis and I failed to remove my child from the situation and seek medical attention for my child.”

Juntunen’s boyfriend, Brandon Newberry, 23, was sentenced earlier this year to 40 years in Montana State Prison for the death of Forrest Groshelle. Newberry was found guilty of abusing Groshelle. Groshelle was found dead in an Evergreen home after Newberry called police yelling, “It’s my fault.” 

A medical examiner determined that Groshelle died of blunt force trauma to the abdomen that was equivalent to that of a gunshot. According to court documents, there were apparent injuries to Groshelle’s face, neck, arms, legs, back and buttocks.

Friends and relatives of the victim testified at Newberry’s sentencing that Newberry’s abuse of the child had been ongoing for months. 

After Newberry’s sentencing in April, Prosecutor Andrew Clegg charged Juntunen, claiming she had ignored serious medical symptoms the child displayed in the days leading up to his death because she was allegedly consuming methamphetamine on a daily basis.

According to court documents, Juntunen allegedly told investigators Groshelle was “turning purple” and “throwing up brown stuff” and had pain in his abdomen. The child allegedly had a high fever and hands and feet that were cold to the touch.

The day after the child’s death, Juntunen’s father turned her backpack into authorities, which allegedly contained drug paraphernalia and residue.

The plea agreement recommends Juntunen be sentenced to 20 years with the Montana Department of Corrections, with 15 years suspended, with recommendation for substance abuse treatment. 

“The court is not bound to this plea agreement,” Ulbricht told Juntunen. 

If the judge decides to go beyond the recommended sentence, Juntunen could face up to 20 years in prison and a $50,000 fine. 

Sentencing in the case was set for Dec. 8. Juntunen’s attorney filed a psychological report under seal in the case on Monday, so that the judge might take its contents into consideration, along with a standard pre-sentence investigation.

Reporter Megan Strickland can be reached at 758-4459 or mstrickland@dailyinterlake.com.