A South Australian woman has pleaded guilty to criminal neglect, almost three years after the death of her six-year-old daughter, Charlie Nowland.

Crystal Hanley, 49, entered the plea in court, with prosecutors dropping a manslaughter charge.

In July 2022, Charlie was discovered unresponsive amid unsanitary conditions at her Munno Para residence. Although she was quickly taken to the hospital, she passed away due to what appeared to be malnutrition.

Hanley had initially fought charges of both manslaughter and neglect for three years. 

However, a week before her trial was scheduled to begin, she pleaded guilty to three counts criminal neglect, relating to Charlie and other children.

The court heard Charlie died “as a result of an act” and that Hanley failed to protect her daughter from harm.

“We are just glad that it didn’t go to trial and she has pleaded guilty,” Charlie’s grandmother Melissa Nowland said. 

Her other grandmother, Sandra Patrick, echoed that sentiment.

“They don’t need to go through all that all over again, you know they’ve had enough trauma in their lives they don’t need anymore,” she said.

Hanley’s attorney sought a substantial delay in proceedings to gather a “considerable amount” of evidence, seemingly linked to her client’s history as a domestic violence victim.

Since her arrest in 2022, Hanley has been in and out of custody, allegedly breaching her bail on multiple occasions due to drug use. 

She remains in custody and will be sentenced in August.