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PrintA Vader Woman arrested for causing the death of a toddler last year has pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges, including manslaughter, and could face 12 to 16 years in prison.
Brenda Wing, 27, entered a guilty plea in Lewis County Superior Court on Thursday, just 11 days before the scheduled start of her trial regarding the death of 3-year-old Jasper Henderling-Warner, who was found unresponsive at Wing's house on Oct. 5, 2014, and later found to have died from prolonged physical abuse.
Wing had been scheduled to face trial starting May 18 for homicide by abuse, but pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree manslaughter, as well as third-degree assault and two counts each of possession of a controlled substance and witness tampering. In a statement prepared for court, Wing admitted she had "recklessly caused the death of another person" and had "negligently caused bodily harm...sufficient to cause considerable suffering" to Henderling-Warner.
An examination of the victim's remains by the Lewis County Coroner's Office revealed severe and obvious bruises and injuries to his entire body, which investigators believe were sustained between July and October of last year, during which time Wing and her husband, Danny Wing, 26, were serving as Henderling-Warner's legal guardians. They had obtained guardianship last summer from Henderling-Warner's mother, Nikki Warner, of Vancouver, who told investigators she wanted someone else to care for the child as she was expecting to be without permanent residence at that time.
Brenda and Danny Wing were arrested Nov. 7, 2014, for causing Henderling-Warner's death, with Danny Wing since pleading guilty to manslaughter and assault in March. Brenda Wing had still been expected to go to trial after Danny Wing's guilty plea, but her attorney, Seattle-based John Crowley, told the court April 30 he was unsure of his ability to defend against the assault, drug and witness tampering charges, which had been added that day by the prosecution, and began actively negotiating to resolve the case.
The additional charges had stemmed from information gathered during the course of investigation into Henderling-Warner's death, specifically two instances on Sept. 22 and 23, during which time Brenda Wing was determined to be in possession of heroin, as well as two incidents taking place between Oct. 6 and Nov. 6, when Brenda Wing attempted to persuade a pair of potential witnesses, identified in court as C.C. and J.C., to testify falsely during her trial.
A sentencing hearing for Brenda Wing is expected to be scheduled by the court May 28 and she could face 12 to 16 years in prison for the manslaughter charge, according to a recommendation made by the Lewis County Prosecutor's Office based on her lack of a felony history, though the judge reserves the right to impose the maximum of life in prison. The other charges received recommendations totaling four to five-and-a-half years, though they are expected to run concurrently with the greater charge.
Though a sentencing hearing for Danny Wing had been expected Thursday as well, it has instead been scheduled for Aug. 14. Danny Wing had pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and third-degree assault of a child on March 19 and prosecutors have offered a recommended sentence of 14 to 18-and-a-half years in prison, based on his previous felony convictions.
The Wings' three children, described at the time of their arrest as between the ages of infancy and 6 years old, have been in the custody of Child Protective Services since November, with their ultimate custody expected to be determined in Family Court.
