Olathe ? The adoptive mother of a 9-year-old boy who died after he was bound like a mummy in duct tape unexpectedly changed her plea to guilty Thursday, just moments before her trial was to begin.

Christy Edgar, 46, was calm as her attorney told Johnson County District Judge John Bennett that against his advice, Edgar wanted to plead guilty to first-degree murder and two counts of child abuse.

“This is not tactical. … It’s her decision,” said Bob Thomas, Edgar’s attorney.

Brian Edgar died Dec. 30. His father brought him to a hospital from the family home in Overland Park, where prosecutors say he had been wrapped from head to toe with duct tape, leaving only his nose uncovered and causing him to suffocate on his own vomit.

The sudden announcement came after Dist. Atty. Paul Morrison and attorneys for Neil Edgar Sr., 47, and the family’s baby sitter, Chasity Boyd, 19, had completed their opening statements. Both face the same charges of first-degree murder and child abuse.

Attorneys for both said Thursday their clients would not change their not-guilty pleas.

Thomas reserved his opening statement, and just after the Bennett adjourned for a short recess before the opening of the prosecution’s case, he rose and announced Christy Edgar wanted to change her plea.

“I knew this issue was lurking, and it surfaced,” Thomas said.

Both Thomas and Bennett recommended Christy Edgar seek a second opinion about her decision to plead guilty from a defense lawyer not involved with the case. But Edgar shook her head “No” when asked by Bennett if she wanted such a meeting.

After Christy Edgar asked to change her plea, both Neil Edgar and Boyd started to weep.

Bennett accepted Christy Edgar’s guilty pleas after thoroughly questioning her about her understanding of the implications, which include giving up her right to trial and appeal. To at least two dozen questions, she calmly and in a clear voice answered, “Yes, sir.”

In response to other questions, Edgar told the judge she was only taking over-the-counter medication, was satisfied with her lawyer and had time to consider her decision.

The Edgars were pastors of God’s Christian Outreach Ministry in Kansas City, Kan. Five other members of the church face charges in Wyandotte County of abusing three of the Edgars’ children and a friend.

Bennett set Christy Edgar’s sentencing for Nov. 5. She faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for 20 years for first-degree murder, and a little less than three years in prison on each count of abuse.

If convicted, Neil Edgar and Boyd face the same terms. Asked if Christy Edgar might be called to testify against them, Thomas said, “Somebody could try.”