Mother of 8-year-old believed killed by his father pleads guilty to child endangerment

The mother of a missing 8-year-old boy who authorities say was killed by his father has pleaded guilty to child endangerment charges, according to court documents.

Jillian Godfrey, 37, pleaded guilty to two felony counts of child endangerment on Wednesday in connection with the death of her son, Noah McIntosh, according to the Riverside County district attorney’s office. The felony plea was sealed by a judge and additional information wasn’t available, D.A. spokesman John Hall said Monday.

Noah’s father, 33-year-old Bryce McIntosh, was charged with first-degree murder with a special circumstance of torture in connection with the March disappearance of his son.

According to court documents, McIntosh first told Godfrey their son was missing on March 8.

Godfrey asked McIntosh whether he had called police to report the boy’s disappearance, and McIntosh replied that he had “everything under control,” court records show. Godfrey reported her son missing four days later.

Authorities searched for the boy at his father’s home but didn’t find him. Officials later found evidence they say links McIntosh to the boy’s death. Authorities discovered McIntosh had purchased acid, a drain opener, bolt cutters and other items around the same time the boy disappeared.

Investigators tracked his movements from data extracted from McIntosh’s cellphone and searched an unincorporated area of Aguanga in Riverside County, where they found a trash can with a paper that had “Noah M” written on it, several purple latex gloves, a plastic bag with residue consistent with blood, parts of a Ninja blender and other cleaning items, court records show.

Noah’s body has not been found.

Godfrey was charged with willful child cruelty in March, although investigators do not suspect her in her son’s death, officials said. She will be sentenced April 3, court records show.