ONEIDA COUNTY, N.Y. -- Deborah Leonard, the mother of the two brothers police said were severely beaten inside the Word of Life Church in New Hartford, accepted a plea agreement on Wednesday. 

It was an emotional day inside Oneida County Court as Deborah Leonard recounted the death of her son Lucas and the role she played in it. During the proceeding, Hon. Michael Dwyer asked Deborah several questions about the night of the beating.

"During that time period you were participating in the beating and other people were participating in the beating. Is that correct?" he said.  

"Yes," she said.  

"And did you realize at some point, you saw the blood and you saw the length and extent of the beating that your son was in danger?" asked Dwyer.

"Yes," said Leonard. 

Leonard said on Oct. 11, during Sunday service, pastor of Word of Life Church Tiffanie Irwin singled out Lucas Leonard after hearing he wanted to attend a different church, something she said the church frowns upon. Accusations against Lucas were also brought up; claims Leonard says were initiated by Irwin.

This led to a disciplinary counseling session where nine people allegedly beat Lucas and his brother Christopher until they admitted to alleged wrongdoings. 

"Did one of your other children, Grace, actually was brought into the interrogation and said that what Christopher or Lucas was saying was absolutely not true?" asked District Attorney Scott McNamara.

"Yes," said Leonard.  

"But nonetheless did the beating continue?" he asked. "Yes," she said. 

Deborah Leonard said she was not present for a large portion of Lucas' beating, but could hear it continue in another room. The session began at about 8 or 9 p.m. on a Sunday and lasted into Monday morning.

Leonard said at one point she noticed blood running down her son's leg. She says another church member, Linda Morey, noticed it as well. 

"Linda Morey saw it," Deborah said. "She thought he peed his pants and she said, 'Oh look a big boy. He peed his pants.' I was too scared and too weak to say, 'Oh no, it's blood."

The District Attorney was willing to drop one charge against Leonard if she agreed to testify against the other church members who were involved in the death of her oldest son. Leonard instead pleaded guilty to 1st and 2nd degree assault. She has also agreed to testify at any trial against the other church members involved.

Deborah Leonard is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 1.  She is expected to serve a total of 5 years in state prison.