Mother not contesting endangerment charges in toddler's death

May 17—WILKES-BARRE — A mother whose daughter died from dehydration entered a no contest plea to two counts of reckless endangerment after Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce withdrew a felony involuntary manslaughter offense Friday.

Valentina M. Varela Luis, 26, of Scranton, through her attorney, Joseph G. Albert of Kingston, worked out the agreement with prosecutors that avoids a jury trial.

President Judge Michael T. Vough accepted the no contest plea deal and scheduled Varela Luis to be sentenced July 11.

A child endangerment charge was also withdrawn against Varela Luis under the terms of the plea agreement.

Varela Luis and her former partner, James Robert Kasisky Jr., 27, of Exeter, were charged by the Pennsylvania State Police at Shickshinny in March 2023, after investigating the death of their 19-month old daughter, Phoenix R. Kasisky, inside a residence on Third Street, Newport Township, on Dec. 23, 2022.

Kasisky and Varela Luis were renovating the residence at the time.

Investigators alleged Kasisky and Varela Luis were negligent in not checking on their daughter for an estimated 26 hours and leaving her in a room described as "hot and dry" when the toddler was found deceased.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Gary Ross, who conducted the autopsy, testified at a prior court proceeding the toddler had all the signs of dehydration, a dry nasal cavity and little to no fluid in her stomach.

A coroner's report stated Phoenix Kasisky died of "dehydration and metabolic imbalance due to neglect."

Varela Luis was at work at a restaurant as the toddler was in the care of Kasisky in the hours before the girl was found deceased.

Kasisky pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and is scheduled to be sentenced May 30.