Judge rules confession statements admissible in 2014 Meagan Work case

The confession of a woman charged in the death of her two-year-old son can now be used in trial. Megan Work was arrested back in 2014 after her son Colton Turner was found in a shallow grave in southeast Austin.

Work is charged with injury to a child with intent to cause serious bodily injury or serious mental deficiency and tampering with evidence. Her attorney’s filed a second motion to suppress her statements she made while she was in Cedar Park Police custody. Defense attorney Ariel Payan said law enforcement did not take Work in front of a magistrate within 48hours of her detainment and any confession made past that allotted time wasn’t admissible.

According to court documents, Work was held for more than two days, questioned by several law enforcement agencies and her story about what happened to Colton changed throughout her time there.

"You're talking about a 20-year-old girl pregnant in pain, no medical attention, vomiting for 16-hours not eating barely drinking,"Payan said. "She was deliberately purposefully intentionally held in a room so that they can question her repeatedly over and over, over again till they got what they wanted.

However, the prosecution argued detectives read her rights, offered her water and placed her in a room the department uses to conduct interviews with witnesses and victims.

167th District Judge David Wahlberg said he agreed the Cedar Park Police department failed to take Work in front of a magistrate but ultimately sided with the State.

Work’s full confession statements can be used in trial in August.