MILWAUKEE — A
Milwaukee-area woman who lost three of her four children in a fire
this month after she left them alone in a locked bedroom has pleaded
not guilty to charges of felony child neglect.
Online court records
say 24-year-old Angelica D. Belen of West Allis waived her preliminary
hearing Thursday morning. She's accused of leaving her 5-year-old
daughter and 4-year-old twin sons locked at home while she went to
work.
Defense attorney
Reyna Morales says a not-guilty plea is standard at this stage in a
felony case because it allows the legal process to move forward.
Belen also faces six
misdemeanor counts of child neglect. Those charges stem from
allegations that she left the twins and a 1-year-old son unattended
twice last month.
She's being held on
$500,000 cash bail.
