Judge orders mom to stay away from her own kids

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - Henrico Judge Gary Hicks suspended nine and a half years of a 10-year sentence handed down to Jasmine Shaquay Norman. Norman plead no contest Thursday to a felony child neglect charge.

In February, police said Norman told detectives she was in the kitchen of her Oakmeade apartment cooking a pizza around midnight when she heard a noise and then discovered her two-month-old son's body in another room.

The young child, Jeremiah, was rushed to VCU Medical Center.  Soon after arriving at the hospital the infant was pronounced dead.

Norman told police the baby was in a bouncy swing and had a bag over his head when she entered the room. She said her 18-month-old son was near the baby at the time.

Investigators could not conclude exactly how the infant died and left the cause of death as undetermined. An autopsy on the child did reveal a chemical in the infant's system similar to chemicals found in drugs like NyQuil. The Medical Examiner said there was no way the chemical contributed to the child’s death, but Commonwealth's Attorney Nancy Oglesby said the chemical pointed to neglect.

Norman cried uncontrollably at times as the prosecutor revealed the results from the medical examiner.

Norman's defense attorney Craig Cooley argued on her behalf, telling the judge "she's already been punished with the loss of her child," but the judge still ordered Norman serve time behind bars.

In addition to the prison sentence, the judge ordered Norman must not have contact with her two other children--ages 2 and 3 1/2--for the next 10 years unless she gets permission from the court first.