Grayson O'Connor died after falling out of a Kansas City, Missouri apartment window in November 2023
Credit: Jackson County Detention Center; Facebook
NEED TO KNOW
- Corrinne O’Connor has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after her young son fell from a 17th-floor apartment window that she’d opened in Kansas City, Missouri, in November 2023, according to reports
- Grayson, 5, was found by authorities suffering from bodily trauma after the fall and was later pronounced deceased at the scene, per Fox 4 Kansas City
- O’Connor has been sentenced to 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, per KCTV5
A mother has reportedly pleaded guilty over the 2023 death of her 5-year-old son who fell out of a 17th-floor apartment window that she'd opened in Kansas City, Missouri.
On Monday, March 16, Corrinne O’Connor pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, according to Fox 4 Kansas City. She was sentenced to 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, per KCTV5. O'Connor will serve the time in prison with no probation, NBC affiliate KSHB 41 Kansas City reported.
While she was initially charged with Class A felony endangering the welfare of a child in 2024, the charge was then amended on Monday, per Fox 4 Kansas City.
According to a new complaint obtained by the outlet, O’Connor failed to keep her son Grayson away from a window she had opened, recklessly causing his death.
Credit: Facebook
On November 27, 2023, the Kansas City Police Department officers responded to the Grand Boulevard Lofts in the city's downtown for an unknown medical report at around 11 a.m. local time, per court records obtained by the outlet.
When authorities arrived, they discovered Grayson behind the complex suffering from bodily trauma, the station stated. He was later pronounced deceased at the scene.
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Authorities at the scene had spotted the only open window on the top floor, before going up to the apartment and finding O’Connor lying in front of the window, Fox 4 Kansas City noted.
She then told investigators that her son “went out the window” after they asked where he was, per court records obtained by the outlet.
According to the station, the initial indictment said O’Connor “acted in a manner that created a substantial risk to the life, body and health of a child.” The outlet stated that her lack of supervision eventually resulted in her son's death.
She also didn’t call authorities after Grayson fell, leaving the boy to be found by a passerby, Fox 4 Kansas City reported, citing court records.
Credit: Jackson County Detention Center
Court documents obtained by KCTV5 revealed that the landlord of the apartment building had filed for O’Connor to be evicted, accusing her of removing a window’s safety device.
The landlord reportedly found out about the removal of the device on the same day as Grayson’s death, per the outlet.
Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said in a statement of O'Connor's guilty plea, according to KCTV5, “The plea was reached after careful consideration of the evidence and circumstances of the case."
“A child lost their life and the decision allows for both accountability, while also acknowledging a mother who is now living in grief,” Johnson added, per the outletl.
Johnson added. “We also hope that during her time in custody, she will have access to the resources and support she needs," the station noted.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Jackson County Prosecutor court, the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri and the Kansas City Police Department for additional information, but didn’t immediately receive a response.
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