A Hazleton man pleaded guilty on Monday in Luzerne County Court to having sexual relations with a 9-year-old girl for several months.
Earl Kozich, 28, of South Fulton Court, pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated indecent assault of a child. Police began investigating Kozich last January after receiving a sexual abuse complaint from the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office and Luzerne County Children and Youth. During an interview, Kozich admitted his guilt, police said.
Luzerne County Judge David Lupas set sentencing for May 16 at 9:30 a.m.
WILKES-BARRE - A Wilkes-Barre woman, who was facing felony child endangerment charges, pleaded guilty Monday to lesser, summary citations, which require her to pay $200 in fines.
Donna Heller, 53, pleaded guilty to summary citations for failure to have children, 4 and 1, secured in proper restraint system.
Prosecutors withdrew two counts of felony child endangerment charges are part of the plea. Last month, a jury deadlocked on the charges following a criminal trial.
Police accused Heller of dropping the children off at Coal Street Park in Wilkes-Barre on May 24, 2011, and driving away. When she returned, she placed the children, ages 4 and 1 at the time, in the front passenger seat of her car without seat belts and drove off, police said. Surveillance footage showed that Heller at the park around 1:11 p.m. She drove away and returned around 1:21 p.m., but sat in her vehicle in the parking lot, far away from the children, until summoning them an hour later, police said.