A mother and her boyfriend who were charged in the death of her son have pleaded guilty.

Casey Boggess, 29, of Ironton, and her boyfriend, David E. Large, 37, of Ironton, were set to go to trial on May 6.

The case against them began on Jan. 27 when Boggess’ 2-year-old son was found dead in an Ironton apartment. An autopsy found the boy had died of respiratory failure and there were drugs, later identified as fentanyl, in his system.

On Wednesday, the pair both pleaded guilty to first-degree involuntary manslaughter, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 11 years in prison.

Lawrence County prosecutor Brigham M. Anderson recommended a sentence of 10 years in prison for both Boggess and Large. Lawrence County Common Pleas Judge Andrew P. Ballard accepted the recommendation and sentenced both Boggess and Large to 10 years in prison.

“This is a tragedy and an example of the consequences of drug abuse,” Anderson said. “An innocent life was lost due to the outright failure of a parent to care for her child. Boggess and Large allowed the child to be in a position to get heroin/fentanyl and absolutely failed to care for and protect her child.”

On Feb. 27, Boggess and Large indicted by the Lawrence County Grand Jury on three counts of involuntary manslaughter, felonies of the first degree, two counts of endangering children, felonies of the third degree, one count corrupting another with drugs, a felony of the second degree and one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. The two counts of child endangering are for the child who died and another child that was in the apartment when the drug were present.

A third person in the case, Jonathon Rice, 34, of Ironton, is accused of providing the couple with the drug. He was indicted on one count of corrupting another with drugs; a second-degree felony. A trial date hasn’t been set.