Cheryl Luchetta: Woman Pleads Guilty To Attempted Murder Of Son, 7
Cheryl Luchetta of Elmhurst, Illinois, has pleaded guilty to attempted murder in a botched murder-suicide attempt that almost cost the life of her 7-year-old son, as well as her own.
The Chicago Tribune reports that Luchetta could face up to 30 years for the charges, after she gave her son a potentially lethal dosage of Valium, Diazepam and Tylenol PM, before slitting her own throat and blacking out.
The incident took place on June 8, 2011, when Luchetta gave her child drugs, and then tried to take her own life. The Chicago Tribune reports that she awoke the following day and called 911 upon finding her son unresponsive.
He was treated at a hospital and recovered, although The Daily Herald notes that he required physical therapy in order to regain mobility, after he was treated for acetaminophen intoxication and dehydration, which left him without the ability to walk.
Prosecutor Cathy DeLaMar stated in court that Cheryl Luchetta originally claimed someone had broken into their house, ransacked it, stabbed her, and drugged her son.
Later on, however, she confessed to the attempted murder-suicide because she didn’t want to lose custody of her son. She had recently filed for divorce from her husband, who now has sole custody of the boy. DeLeMar stated in court that, “She indicated she was going through a difficult divorce and wanted to kill herself.” Luchetta also left a suicide note for her estranged husband.
Cheryl Luchetta is scheduled for sentencing on August 30th, after entering a guilty plea last week to the Class X felony for aggravated battery to a child.
