A Southern Door County woman, accused of causing the death of her child by leaving her unattended for several hours in an overheated SUV, entered a no contest plea to a charge of neglecting a child causing death in Door County Circuit Court Monday afternoon. Thirty three year old Melissa Martinez of Brussels appeared before Judge D. Todd Ehlers who dismissed one count of homicide by intoxicated use of a motor vehicle, directing that the charge be read into the record. The judge set a sentencing date of September 7th & ordered Martinez to follow a long list of bond requirements. Eight month old Elena Martinez died last October after spending hours in a heated & running vehicle. An autopsy indicated that Elena was a healthy child & died from the effects of environmental hyperthermia or fatal heat stroke. Melissa Martinez has been living at a halfway house following in-patient treatment for alcohol abuse.
