MORGANTON, N.C. — Gloria Elena Hughes, 39, pleaded guilty to beating her 3-year-old son to death in Maryland in 2023 but was found not criminally responsible for the crime.
Hughes, from Morganton, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a child under 13 during a hearing at Harford County Superior Court on July 7. Despite her guilty plea, court documents revealed she was deemed not criminally responsible for the charges.
Following the court’s decision, Hughes was transferred to the custody of the Maryland Department of Health. She is currently being held in a state psychiatric facility for an undetermined amount of time, according to the Harford County Clerk of Courts Office.
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