A 23-year-old mother accused of stabbing her 3-year-old son during a domestic dispute with the child’s father pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon on Tuesday.
Michelle Betancourt appeared at the Metropolitan Branch of Los Angeles County Superior Court in connection with the May 18 stabbing of her son.
Her bail was set at $90,000. She was due to return to court on July 29.
Betancourt was arrested several hours after deputies found her 3-year-old son critically wounded with stab wounds to his upper torso in the 3800 block of Walnut Street in Cudahy.
At the time of her arrest, a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department lieutenant said the stabbing was intentional, but Betancourt’s attorney said last month that there was no intent.
If convicted as charged, Betancourt faces a possible maximum sentence of 11 years in prison, according to the DA’s office.
The health status of the toddler was not clear Tuesday.