Columbia Woman Pleads Not Guilty in Daughter’s Death

A central Missouri woman has pleaded not guilty to reduced charges in her daughter's death.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that 25-year-old Anna E. Steele entered the not guilty plea to first-degree child endangerment and child abuse in the 2014 death of her 8-month-old baby.

Steele was originally charged with second-degree murder, but Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Knight reduced the charges against Steele last week.

A probable cause statement said that an autopsy showed the baby had sustained "massive blunt trauma to the head and also showed evidence of being shaken."

Steele's boyfriend at the time, 32-year-old Cody M. Baker, is awaiting a Sept. 15 trial for second-degree murder.