COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped plans to file a first-degree murder charge against the stepmother of a Colorado boy who died after he was forced to drink large amounts of water.
The Colorado Springs Gazette reports 42-year-old Tara Sabin was instead charged with child abuse resulting in the death of 11-year-old Zachary Sabin, plus five other child abuse counts for each of the other children in her household. Zachary's father, 41-year-old Ryan Sabin, was charged with first-degree murder and child abuse in the death, as well as child abuse counts related to the other children, ages 2 to 15.
Prosecutors say Zachary died in Black Forest on March 11 after being forced to drink the water because his urine was dark. The county coroner’s office determined the boy died of forced water intoxication after he was told to drink four 24-ounce (.7-litre) bottles of water over four hours without eating.
Ryan Sabin's attorney argues an arrest warrant didn’t establish that his client knew his actions were “practically certain” to result in the boy’s death, falling short of the legal threshold for first-degree murder.