A North Whitehall Township woman who police said pushed a blanket into the mouth of a 1-year-old foster child in January, faces a minimum state prison sentence of 36 months after pleading guilty to charges this week in Lehigh County Court.

Brenda Broadwater, 49, pleaded guilty to felony charges of aggravated assault on a victim less than 13 and a parent/guardian endangering the welfare of a child, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan.

She will be sentenced on Feb. 26 of next year by Judge Robert L. Steinberg.

Holihan said on Jan. 26, 2024, Pennsylvania State Police received a call from the Lehigh County Communications Center about a 1-year-old girl, identified as J.K, in cardiac arrest at Broadwater’s home on Coplay Creek Road in the township.

He said the child was not breathing when troopers arrived and they conducted CPR before she was taken to the emergency room of the Lehigh Valley Health Network – Reilly Children’s Hospital for advanced medical care, where she was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

The DA said the 911 call revealed at 7:41 p.m., a male caller said J.K. was playing in a stroller and got a strap wrapped around her neck. He said two other children were in the home at the time.

Police’s investigation determined Broadwater pushed a blanket into the child’s mouth, then left the child alone and improperly restrained in a stroller. Ligature marks to J.K.’s neck and injuries to her lower lip were documented.

J.K. was diagnosed with a mild anoxic brain injury resulting expressive aphasia and ataxia in the setting of strangulation. Her injuries included verbal, speech and coordination deficits.