Sitter Pleads Innocent in Boys’ Drugging : Courts: Melvine Kaiserauer is accused of killing one of the twins in her care and injuring the other with a lethal mixture of medications.

A North Hollywood baby-sitter who authorities said gave sick 14-month-old twins a mix of prescription and over-the-counter drugs that killed one boy and injured the other pleaded not guilty Wednesday to involuntary manslaughter and drug and child-neglect charges.

Melvine Kaiserauer, 42, entered the plea in Van Nuys Municipal Court to five felony charges relating to the mistreatment of Christopher and Brandon Collins.

The Van Nuys brothers became ill Feb. 20 after Kaiserauer gave them a mixture of prescriptions and children’s Tylenol after they showed cold symptoms, Los Angeles County Deputy Dist. Atty. Kenneth A. Loveman said.

Christopher later died of codeine and morphine poisoning, Loveman said. Brandon recovered after being hospitalized.

Kaiserauer, who wore a black veil over her face before the hearing to avoid being photographed by news cameramen, remains free on $5,000 bail. She declined to talk to reporters, but her attorney, Deputy Public Defender Mitchell Jay Bruckner, said the incident was an accident that has left Kaiserauer grieving.

“She is upset and very saddened by what happened,” Bruckner said. “None of it was done with any intent to harm the children. She was trying to care for sick kids. It’s unfortunate, but accidents happen.”

Loveman said the mixture contained at least two drugs that required prescriptions when they were bought several years ago: Tedral, which is used to treat asthma, and Phenergan, which is used to treat allergies. Tedral is now a non-prescription drug. Not all of the substances in the mixture given to the children have been identified, and the exact sources of the codeine and morphine are unknown, Loveman said.

Loveman agreed the death of the boy was accidental but said Kaiserauer was charged because she was criminally negligent. She faces one count of involuntary manslaughter and two counts each of child neglect and administering a controlled substance to a minor. If convicted of all five felonies, she could face more than nine years in prison.

“I certainly hope she doesn’t go to jail for nine years,” Bruckner said. “This was a horrible accident.”