TUCSON, Arizona—A Tucson woman accused of killing her ailing 4-year-old son with table salt in 2015 has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
Pima County prosecutors say 35-year-old Ashley Castro reached a plea agreement in the case on Monday, July 22.
They say Castro is facing up to 25 years in prison when she’s sentenced at 1 p.m. on Sept. 30.
Castro was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder after her young son died at a hospital in November 2015.
Authorities say Ezekiel Castro was being treated for a heart condition at the time at Diamond Children's Hospital.
Tucson police say Ashley Castro admitted to giving her son a mixture of salt and water that she carried for use as a mouthwash.
Risks of Salt Poisoning
Salt is present everywhere and is essential for our body's functioning. However, it can also be dangerous and in some cases fatal, according to the University of Utah.In medical terms, salt poisoning is called Hypernatremia. A high level of sodium (that salt contains) in the blood can draw out water from the body's cells and the condition can worsen to increased heart rate, muscle spasms, or seizures. It can even cause a coma in extreme cases.
“There are dangerous salt ingestion practices demonstrated on the Internet that some people will follow, and they don’t understand the risk.”
The university said children can be innocent victims if they ingest substances with high salt content.
“We have had calls where children have eaten homemade play dough,” said Pace. “That has enough salt in it to cause problems if enough is eaten.”
Parents should seek immediate help if a child accidentally consumes a large amount of salt, according to the university.
“Do not search the internet for answers. Call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 immediately,” said Pace.
How to Report Suspected Child Maltreatment
If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, contact your local child protective services office or law enforcement agency so officials can investigate and assess the situation. Most states have a number to call to report abuse or neglect.“Every year more than 3.6 million referrals are made to child protection agencies involving more than 6.6 million children (a referral can include multiple children),” according to Childhelp.