A judge has entered an initial “not guilty” plea for the Fort Wayne woman accused of smothering her two young children to death last week.
Amber Pasztor, 29, made her first appearance in Elkhart County Circuit Court. In addition, she also requested a public defender, according to our reporting partners at ABC 57.
Her trial date was tentatively scheduled for Jan. 23. Her next court appearance, presumably with a public defender, will be Oct. 27.
Amber Pasztor entering a preliminary plea of not guilty. Her next court appearance will be Oct. 27 at 8:30 AM @ABC57News
— Julia Palazzo ABC 57 (@JuliaPalazzoTV) October 3, 2016
Pasztor requested a public defender, not appointed yet. She has 20 days to enter formal plea @ABC57News
— Julia Palazzo ABC 57 (@JuliaPalazzoTV) October 3, 2016
Penalty could be 45-65 years in prison. Advisory sentence is 55 years for Pasztor @ABC57News
— Julia Palazzo ABC 57 (@JuliaPalazzoTV) October 3, 2016
Elkhart County Prosecutor Curtis Hill says he’s still debating whether to seek the death penalty for Pasztor, according to the Elkhart Truth.
Court documents say 29-year-old Amber Pasztor told Elkhart police officers around 5:30 p.m. Monday that her children, 7-year-old Liliana Hernandez and 6-year-old Rene Pasztor, were dead in the backseat of her car, while also saying that she had “smothered them.”
Pasztor is being held without bond on two counts of murder in the childrens’ deaths. Pasztor didn’t have legal custody of the children, who were living with Pasztor’s father, Ricky Green, and stepmother, Emily Green, in Fort Wayne.
Funeral services for the two children were scheduled for Monday, but have since been pushed to a later date at the request of the family.
RELATED: Amber Pasztor officially charged in the deaths of her children
