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Columbia Woman Who Drove Car into Kansas River Pleads Guilty

A 26-year-old Missouri woman who intentionally drove her vehicle into the Kansas River in Kansas has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports Scharron Dingledine, of Columbia, Missouri, entered the plea Monday. As part of the plea, she won't be eligible for parole for 25 years.

Prosecutors say Dingledine drove a car into the Kansas River near downtown Lawrence in August in an effort to kill herself and her children.

Rescuers pulled Dingledine and her 1-year-old son, Elijah Lake, from the water but were not able to save her 5-year-old daughter, Amiyah Bradley. Her body was recovered from the river the next day.

Elijah was critically injured.

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