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Mother Charged In 4-Year-Old Butler Boy's Death

BUTLER (KDKA) – More charges have been filed in the suspicious death of a 4-year-old boy in Butler County.

This morning, the child's mother, Mackenzie Peters, was charged with two felony counts of endangering the welfare of children.

Earlier this week, 20-year-old Keith Jordan Lambing was charged with homicide in the death of 4-year-old Bentley Miller.

Lambing is not Miller's father, but he and Peters have a 4-month-old child together.

On March 21, Lambing was watching Bentley at the Super 8 Motel in Butler, where he and Peters had been living.

Peters was at work when Lambing called his mother, Kristen Herold, saying Bentley had a medical issue.

Officers allege Herold attempted to transport the 4-year-old from the Super 8 Motel to his biological father's home, all while the child was bleeding excessively from the rectum. She did not attempt to contact emergency services until the child became unresponsive.

Bentley later died at Butler Memorial Hospital.

Several days earlier, Bentley suffered a severe burn to his hand while Lambing was watching him.

According to the criminal complaint, Peters did not seek medical attention for the burn.

Additionally, evidence of drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in their room at the Super 8 Motel.

Lambing is facing a list of charges including, criminal homicide, rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children.

Meanwhile, Herold is facing charges of hindering apprehension, endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.

She was in court Thursday, where she was ordered to stand trial on all those charges.

However, her attorney denies accusations that she failed to get the child help in a timely manner.

"I think what the evidence shows is as soon as she saw this was serious, she called 911," said attorney Al Lindsay. "I don't see how that turns into a recklessly endangering, that's what anyone would have done. There's no evidence that there was anything this serious before. He was bleeding, put him in the car, takes two or three minutes, she makes the call."

But the Butler County District Attorney's Office also argued against a bond reduction for Herold.

"We think she's a flight risk. Knowing what she's facing, we're concerned she's going to flee the community. So, we know where she is right now, and quite frankly, she may be safer where she's at right now," said Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger.

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