A 36-year-old mother was charged with manslaughter after her 18-month-old son died in April after choking on unpopped popcorn kernels at her Long Island apartment.
Prosecutors believe Olivia Bithorn was drinking vodka in the bathroom of her unit in Merrick after giving the bag of kernels to her son, Luke Russell Jr., and his 3-year-old sister.
'Everyone in her life had basically written her off except her husband, who was ... trying to make sure she had a place to live and was staying sober.'
The little girl alerted the mother after the boy became unresponsive.
"Her son was blue and cold to the touch," said Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly, who appeared to get emotional at the details.
"They estimate, allegedly, he was dead for over an hour before 911 was called," she added.
Donnelly said Bithorn was getting sick in the bathroom because she drank too much alcohol. An empty bottle of Tito's vodka was found at the apartment.
"It's an accident if you leave the room for a few minutes ... but it's criminal if you actually give your child these kernels to eat and not be present if something happens," she added.
Prosecutors said Bithorn had a long history of alcohol abuse and put her children at risk because of her drinking problem. She cycled in and out of rehab programs for years, crashed a car, and even disappeared for three days at one point.
She had separated from her husband of three years while battling alcoholism.
"Everyone in her life had basically written her off except her husband, who was trying to, even though they're separated, trying to make sure she had a place to live and was staying sober," Donnelly added.
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Her estranged husband was in court but declined to comment as he left.
Merrick is a small hamlet of about 22,000 residents on the south shore of Long Island.
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