SPOKANE — The stepmother of a 4-year-old Spokane girl who died after what police called “vicious child abuse” pleaded guilty today to homicide by abuse.
Adriana Lytle, 33, likely faces 20 to 26 years in prison in the March 2007 death of Summer Phelps, who was repeatedly beaten, bitten and tortured.
The child’s father, Jonathan Lytle, also faces homicide by abuse charges.
Investigators said in court papers that during the seven months she lived with her father and stepmother in an apartment, the girl suffered severe abuse that bordered on torture. She was made to wear a dog shock collar, suffered burns to her face, a bite mark and extensive bruising over her upper torso, court documents said.
Summer’s biological mother, Elizabeth Phelps, sat crying in the courtroom as Lytle stood and uttered her guilty plea, the Spokesman-Review reported.
Lytle will be sentenced later by Spokane County Superior Court Judge Michael P. Price. Lytle, who has no previous criminal convictions, won’t be sentenced until after the trial of Jonathan Lytle, which is scheduled for Oct. 13.
Jonathan Lytle had “substantial involvement in Summer’s death, and we want that to be brought out,” said assistant public defender Anna Nordtvedt, one of Adriana Lytle’s attorneys.
Jonathan Lytle’s court-appointed attorney, Dennis Dressler of the Counsel for the Defense, submitted an affidavit in March saying his client has “serious mental problems.”
At a May hearing, Jonathan Lytle refused to sign an order that would have allowed his criminal trial to proceed after a competency evaluation at Eastern State Hospital in September.
“Evidence at the trial will show he is far more responsible for what happened. Judge Price has both cases and will have the full picture by the end of the Jonathan Lytle trial,” Nordtvedt added.
When he brought Summer to the hospital, medical personnel immediately suspected “vicious child abuse,” according to police reports.
State officials received at least six complaints about the safety of Summer Phelps before the girl died , according to records released by the state Children’s Administration:
—Elizabeth Phelps of Poulsbo was 18 when Summer was born on July 6, 2002. Two months later, Jonathan Lytle filed the first referral about Summer’s care, alleging that his former girlfriend was homeless and smoked marijuana every day.
—In June 2003, a friend or relative told state workers that Phelps was living in tents or campgrounds with baby Summer.
—In December 2003 and September 2004, Phelps told caseworkers that Lytle was sexually abusing the child.
—In April 2005, an advocate at the Skagit County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Awareness program in Mount Vernon reported that Phelps had said Lytle was continuing to abuse Summer.
—In June 2005, Jonathan Lytle reported that Phelps had abandoned the girl by leaving her with him in Spokane.
—In January 2006, a day-care worker reported concerns about neglect and abuse.
Detectives said the girl died on March 11 after spending 10 hours washing urine-stained clothing in a bathtub as punishment.
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