Kansas woman gets 25 years for deadly police chase that killed young child
By Nick Sloan
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ATCHISON, Kansas (KMBC) — A Kansas woman was sentenced Tuesday to more than 25 years in prison for a 2024 crash that killed a 1-year-old during a police pursuit.
Maria Papalas, 29, was sentenced to a total of 303 months, or just over 25 years, after previously pleading no contest to multiple charges, including second-degree murder.
Papalas received the following consecutive sentences:
– 246 months for second-degree murder
– 38 months for one count of aggravated endangering a child
– 19 months for a second count of aggravated endangering a child
– She was charged following an incident on Aug. 25, 2024, when Papalas fled law enforcement in Atchison County in a 2014 Toyota Corolla.
According to a Kansas Highway Patrol report, she was driving at a high speed when she lost control on a curve, causing the vehicle to roll multiple times and land on its roof.
A 1-year-old child passenger died as a result of the crash. Papalas was hospitalized with injuries.
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