South Jersey mother gets life without parole in death of 17-month-old son

CAMDEN, N.J. - A New Jersey woman convicted of murder in the death of her 17-month-old son 4 1/2 years ago has been sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. 

Judge Gwendolyn Blue also sentenced 45-year-old Heather Reynolds of Sicklerville last week to concurrent terms on child endangerment and drug counts. 

Reynolds was convicted n July but acquitted of conspiracy in an alleged murder-for-hire plot to kill a former boyfriend. 

Prosecutors alleged that Reynolds suffocated her 17-month-old son, Axel, by holding a cleansing wipe over his nose and mouth in May 2018. 

Her attorney, who has vowed an appeal, said she tried to revive her son when she found him unresponsive.