Ogle County mom fit to stand trial in 7-year-old’s death

OREGON – An Oregon mom accused of killing her 7-year-old son was found fit to stand trial at a brief hearing Thursday in Ogle County Court.

Judge John Redington accepted a copy Sarah Safranek’s mental health evaluation before issuing his ruling, and setting a Nov. 30 status hearing in the case.

Safranek, 35, is in Ogle County jail on $2 million bond; she pleaded not guilty May 6, 2021, to five counts of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated battery of a child in the suffocation of Nathaniel Burton 18 months ago.

Nathaniel was found unresponsive and not breathing in his bed in the 400 block of South 10th Street about 2:30 a.m. Feb. 17, 2021, and was pronounced dead at KSB Hospital in Dixon later that day.

An autopsy showed the boy also suffered a ruptured liver.

Safranek was arrested two months later, on April 21, and indicted May 4, 2021.

She faces 20 years to life in prison if convicted of murder and six to 30 years if convicted of aggravated battery.