Massachusetts City Settles Coerced Confession Claim for $2.1M

The city of Worcester, Massachusetts has agreed to pay $2.1 million to a mother who said police officers coerced her to confess to suffocating her 13-month-old son with a teddy bear.

The Telegram & Gazette reported that the city announced the settlement with Nga Truong. Her lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.

Truong was 16 when her son died in 2008. Police said at the time that she initially said she found him unconscious in his crib, but later admitted to suffocating him.

Her confession was later thrown out by a judge, who said police did not offer her a “genuine opportunity” to consult with a parent or a lawyer about her right to remain silent. A murder charge against her was dropped.