BOSTON  — A woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to slashing the throat of her roommate's 9-month-old baby and leaving him to bleed to death in retaliation for being asked to move out.

Natalie Rodriguez, 23, of Chelsea, had faced first-degree murder charges but pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and kidnapping in the December 2002 death of Xavier Antonio Miranda.

Under the plea deal, she could be released from prison in 29 years.

Rodriguez had known Xavier's mother, Giselle Colon, since childhood. After Rodriguez lost her job at a Social Security office, she moved in with Colon, authorities said. But family members said the arrangement didn't work out: Rodriguez frequently drank, often became belligerent, and did not pay rent.

Eventually, the family asked her to leave, and the deadline for doing so was the day she killed the baby, prosecutors said.

Rodriguez admitted in the plea deal to taking the baby from his crib, slashing his throat and then leaving him by a trash can near a neighbor's driveway.