A Lancaster County judge sentenced a city woman to three and a half to nine years in state prison after he found her guilty earlier this year of smothering her three-month-old son to death after she fell asleep while abusing cocaine.

Judge Dennis Reinaker handed down the sentence to Luz Linette Saez, 34, on Aug. 13.

Reinaker had found Saez guilty of a single count each of endangering the welfare of children and involuntary manslaughter following a one-day trial in July.

Saez accidentally smothered the victim to death as she sleptat her residence in the 500 block of South Lime Street in August 2024. 

In an interview with police later the same day, Saez said she had used cocaine to stay awake for two days straight before accidentally falling asleep with the victim in her arms. When she awoke, the victim was dead, Saez said. 

Detectives had to verbally arouse Saez multiple times during the interview as she repeatedly appeared to be falling asleep. 

Lancaster County Children and Youth Agency had reported that the victim had tested positive for cocaine at birth mere months earlier. Saez herself had tested positive for cocaine during a voluntary urine screen several days after the incident. 

Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lapp prosecuted the case.

Lancaster City Bureau of Police Officer Isaac Witmer filed the charges.