CENTRAL — A woman accused of second-degree murder after the death of a 12-year-old girl who knocked on her front door last year has reached a deal with prosecutors and is expected to plead guilty to a lesser charge and avoid a life term.

Ester Williams, 27, is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to manslaughter, which carries a maximum 40-year prison term. The victim's mother said she agreed to the deal to avoid having to re-live the incident through a trial.

"I'm tired. I'm sick. I'm stressed," Bertha Johnson said. "I still don't know all the details and all that took place. All I know is that my baby is gone...I won't have peace until I finish this. Once this is over and done with and they have their last rule on the judgment, then I'll be OK."

Cedrica Lee, 12, was shot dead on May 13, 2023. The girl was believed to have been caught in a feud among Williams, her boyfriend Patrick Johnson and Johnson's ex-girlfriend Gentrea Haley.

According to investigators, Haley had followed Williams and Johnson to their home and then had two kids knock on the door while she waited across the street. Williams is accused of opening the door and firing a gun, with a bullet striking Lee.