KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tara Ann Huerta, 40, who faces murder charges in the death of a 3-year-old child, was sentenced Friday to one year in jail for a theft committed last year at a Kansas Walmart.
In a Leavenworth County court, Huerta pleaded guilty to unlawfully taking merchandise valued under $1,500 on April 12, 2024. Court documents reveal she left the Walmart in Leavenworth without paying after swapping barcodes on several items to reduce their price, prompting police intervention.
Alongside theft, Huerta is currently charged with first-degree murder, possession of Fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and drug paraphernalia.
Authorities report that on March 26, officers responded to an apartment near Martin Luther King Drive and Limit Street, where a 3-year-old boy named E-lah Jahmal Brown Jr. was found unresponsive. He was rushed to a hospital but later died from acute Fentanyl toxicity, confirmed by an autopsy and toxicology reports.
The Leavenworth Police Department discovered drug-related items in the apartment where Huerta and a 34-year-old Kansas City man were caring for the boy. The man has since been arrested on similar charges, including first-degree murder and aggravated child endangerment.
Currently, Huerta is held in Leavenworth County jail, and the man remains in Clay County jail pending formal charges. Huerta’s next court date is set for September 3 at 10 a.m. in Leavenworth County.
