COURTS GRISWOLD WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO MANSLAUGHTER CHARGE IN INFANT DEATH

A 38-year-old Griswold woman accused of suffocating her infant son in 2021 pleaded guilty Wednesday to the charge of first-degree manslaughter.

Crystal Czyzewski entered her plea in New London Superior Court as part of an agreement that will send her to prison for up to 12 years. The agreement calls for between 10 and 12 years in prison and five years of probation. She is scheduled to be sentenced June 17.

State police said Czyzewski admitted suffocating her 6-week-old child inside her 127 Slater Ave. apartment, according to an arrest warrant affidavit in the case. The baby was found on the evening of Nov. 17, 2021, following a 911 call made by Czyzewski.

Police said Czyzewski admitted she put a blanket over the baby’s head and her “hand over the blanket and the victim’s face for 20 minutes“on the morning of Nov. 17, 2021. She left the baby in the swing for the remainder of the day before calling 911 that night, police said.

Czyzewski told detectives she had been “stressed out due to life“and her two children.

Czyzewski’s mother, Linda D. Kennison, also was arrested in connection with the case. Police said Kennison and Czyzewski devised a plan to put food in the child’s mouth to make it appear the baby was still alive when emergency medical personnel arrived, police said.

Kennison is charged with risk of injury to a child. Her case is still pending and she remains held on a $250,000 bond.

Czyzewski entered her pleas under the Alford Doctrine, which means she does not agree with all of the allegations against her but does not want to risk a trial and the possibility of a stiffer sentence.