McAlester mother who beat son to death is released from prison

Thursday, July 21st 2005, 9:13 am

By: News On 6

McLOUD, Okla. (AP) -- A McAlester woman has been discharged from prison after serving just under half of a 20-year sentence for her role in the beating death of her 2-year-old son, who was in a body cast at the time.

Wendy Luke has been released this week from the Mabel Bassett Correctional Center.

Luke pleaded guilty in 1995 to a reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter in the beating death of Ryan Luke. Ryan was in a body cast at the time of his death and doctors say he suffered blunt trauma to the head and may have been severely shaken before he died.

His death led the Ryan Luke Law in 1996 that creates teams to investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect.