New York, December 10: Devi Silvia, an Indian-origin woman from Tamil Nadu has pleaded not guilty for throwing her infant daughter in a New York river before jumping in herself, owing to mental illness under a plea deal that could see her sentenced to a psychiatric facility. In May last year, Silvia plunged into the Hudson River with her 21-month-old daughter, Jessica Prithiviraj in a suicide attempt. Unable to swim, they drifted into the centre of the river where they were separated and nearly drowned before rescue teams scooped them out of the water, with baby Jessica not breathing. She has, however, fully recovered since. Prosecutors said 34-year-old Silvia, in an agreement with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, pleaded not guilty because of mental disease as she was suffering from a bipolar disorder. According to a report in New York Daily News, she pleaded “not responsible by reason of mental defect” for nearly killing her 18-month-old girl. Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Kevin Wilson said Salvia told her rescuers that “her baby was dead and she wanted to die.” Psychiatrists for the defence and prosecutors agreed that Salvia suffered from a bipolar disorder that had never been diagnosed.