Probation for Fresno mom who once confessed to burning her baby with a lighter

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- It's probation instead of prison for a Valley mom who once confessed to burning her baby with a lighter. 24-year-old Denia Adams will be released from jail. But a judge made it clear that her struggles are far from over.

In order to walk free the 24-year-old mom had to plead to a lesser charge and she had to agree to a number of conditions; including one that keeps her away from the baby she injured.

Denia Adams hid behind her attorney while a Fresno County Judge told her she was free, but that it wouldn't be easy. There will be parenting classes, maybe a child abuse program, even anger management classes. Above all else, there's a protective order. That means she can't go near the baby she burned with a lighter.

The mother believes she was pressured into making a false confession. Her attorney telling us that Adams is sticking to a different story.

"That included a lighter being thrown on the bed by the father of the baby and that she put the baby on top of the lighter when the baby cried she picked the baby up," said Annette Smurr, her defense attorney.

The baby was taken to the hospital with a 103 degree fever four days later. That little girl is now in the midst of a custody battle between her father and grandparents, while her mother battles the system that gave her four years of probation.

Smurr added, "She loves her daughter she would never intentionally harm her daughter she's repeatedly stated what happened and repeatedly said she'll do whatever is required of her."

Her attorney also says if she complies with all the strict probation conditions, obeys all the laws, completes all the classes, her record could one day be clear.

"She just needs to follow all those orders and if she does that at the end of her probation if she successfully completes it, it could be reduced to a misdemeanor and dismissed," explained Smurr.

The judge also told her she needs to come back to court in 90 days to prove she's complied with the initial conditions of probation.