Mom charged with role in boy's death

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. -- A mother has been charged with lying to police and failing to seek immediate medical attention after her boyfriend allegedly injured her 3-year-old son so severely that the boy later died.

Lena M. Buhr, 27, of Independence, was charged Tuesday with endangering the welfare of a child and hindering prosecution of a felony.

The woman's boyfriend, Bryon Griffin, also of Independence, has pleaded innocent in the strangling death of Anthony Buhr. Griffin has been charged with second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in the youngster's death, and nine other felony counts.

According to prosecutors, police were sent to Buhr's residence at 2:41 a.m. July 6 on a domestic disturbance call but the officers left after Buhr and Griffin assured them that everything was fine. The couple allegedly told the officers that Buhr was upset because her father had a stroke.

She is scheduled to be arraigned today.