Indiana woman reaches plea deal in baby’s meth-related death

<p>PORTLAND, Ind. &mdash; An eastern Indiana woman whose three-month-old son died last year from methamphetamine intoxication has agreed to plead guilty to a neglect charge in the infant’s death.</p>
<p>Jennifer F. Young, 35, would plead guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in death if a Jay County judge accepts her plea agreement at a May 17 hearing. </p>
<p>The Portland woman’s sentence would be capped at 20 years and prosecutors would dismiss charges of possessing meth and possessing paraphernalia she faces, <a href="https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/crime/2021/04/21/mother-strikes-deal-portland-babys-meth-death/7308577002/">The Star Press</a> reported.</p>
<p>Police were called in March 2020 on a report of a baby not breathing at an apartment in Portland, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis.</p>
<p>After Hayden Markle was pronounced dead at a hospital, an autopsy determined the infant died as a result of “acute methamphetamine intoxication," according to court records.</p>
<p>The baby’s father, 40-year-old Ryan A. Markle, faces the same three charges as Young in the infant’s death.</p>
<p>He was convicted of dealing in meth in 2013, the same year that Young was also convicted of dealing in meth and two counts of neglect of a dependent.</p>