Posted on 06/06/2003 9:34:02 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Child-care workers set to turn selves in
Attorney for pair says he's outraged by $1 million bail
06/06/2003
LANCASTER – An attorney for the two child-care workers charged in the death of a 2-year-old left in a hot van said Thursday he is finalizing the women's surrender to ensure they spend as little time in jail as possible.
With bail set at $1 million each, they're bound to spend at least a few days in custody, said their attorney, Craig Watkins, who called the bail amount outrageous. He said his clients would turn themselves in by Sunday.
Arrest warrants were filed earlier this week for Onetha Kizzee Conners, 42, and Jimmie Ree Smith, 47, on charges of injury to a child in connection with the death of Alan Devon Brown Jr.
Ms. Conners is the director of Little Dudes and Daisies Daycare and Learning Center, which she owns with her husband, Charles Conners Jr.
Mr. Conners declined to comment Thursday. The two women could not be reached.
Police said the pair returned with Alan and 11 other children from a field trip to a Chuck E. Cheese's restaurant about 1 p.m. last Friday. When the children were awakened from a nap two hours later, employees realized Alan was missing. They found him unconscious in the van about 3:25 p.m. and called 911.
Temperatures that day hit 100 degrees, and Alan's body was 108 degrees when he was taken from the van. He died Tuesday at Children's Medical Center of Dallas.
Alan's family could not be reached for comment.
Mr. Watkins, who ran unsuccessfully for Dallas County district attorney in 2002, is working with lawyer Kenneth Witherspoon to reduce the women's bail. He said the charges were unwarranted.
"I don't know if this is reckless," Mr. Watkins said of a requirement of the injury to a child charge. "This isn't like a mother leaving her children inside the car as she goes grocery shopping. They did everything they could to make sure the kids were all out of the van."
Justice of the Peace Luis Sepulveda, who set bail when he signed arrest warrants Tuesday, said information from police justified the amount. He acknowledged that another magistrate probably would reduce the bail when the women appear in court.
"We're talking about a child who died here," Judge Sepulveda said.
Dallas County's bail schedule suggests $2,500 to $25,000 for second-degree felonies for suspects with no prior offenses. If convicted, the women face two to 20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
On Thursday, about a dozen other area child-care directors and employees met at Little Dudes and Daisies on North Dallas Avenue for a prayer service.
"This is a tragic accident," said Sharon Harris, who represents the Child Development Association of Texas, which sponsored the service. "We needed to be here to give support to the family and the day care owners and the employees."
Others who attended the service said they wanted to show Ms. Conners and Ms. Smith their support.
"We need the entire community to know that because of the tragedy, we're bonding together with love," said Carla Borders, director of JB's Unique Learning Academy in DeSoto and the founder of an area child-care directors' association.
Of Ms. Conners and Ms. Smith, she said: "Keep them in your prayers. They need it."
Mr. Watkins said that his clients were recovering from medical problems they suffered this week and that Ms. Conners was in shock.
"She had a real bad breakdown," he said. "She's not even coherent right now."
Ms. Smith, he said, underwent an angioplasty for a heart condition thought to have been aggravated by stress.
Mr. Conners is taking care of the business and trying to decide what to do, Mr. Watkins said.
"They built their life around caring for kids," he said. "Their livelihood is at stake."
E-mail imccann@dallasnews.com
"I don't know if this is reckless," Mr. Watkins said of a requirement of the injury to a child charge. "This isn't like a mother leaving her children inside the car as she goes grocery shopping. They did everything they could to make sure the kids were all out of the van."
Justice of the Peace Luis Sepulveda, who set bail when he signed arrest warrants Tuesday, said information from police justified the amount. He acknowledged that another magistrate probably would reduce the bail when the women appear in court.
"We're talking about a child who died here," Judge Sepulveda said.
Not Reckless ?? They did all that they could? The two year old died as a result of their inattention. You just don't leave a kid in a car.
Toddler dies after being left in hot van -
'criminal charges to be filed' against Daycare Center
On Thursday, about a dozen other area child-care directors and employees met at Little Dudes and Daisies on North Dallas Avenue for a prayer service.
"This is a tragic accident," said Sharon Harris, who represents the Child Development Association of Texas, which sponsored the service. "We needed to be here to give support to the family and the day care owners and the employees."
Others who attended the service said they wanted to show Ms. Conners and Ms. Smith their support.
"We need the entire community to know that because of the tragedy, we're bonding together with love," said Carla Borders, director of JB's Unique Learning Academy in DeSoto and the founder of an area child-care directors' association.
Of Ms. Conners and Ms. Smith, she said: "Keep them in your prayers. They need it."
Mr. Watkins said that his clients were recovering from medical problems they suffered this week and that Ms. Conners was in shock.
"She had a real bad breakdown," he said. "She's not even coherent right now."
Ms. Smith, he said, underwent an angioplasty for a heart condition thought to have been aggravated by stress.
Mr. Conners is taking care of the business and trying to decide what to do, Mr. Watkins said.
"They built their life around caring for kids," he said. "Their livelihood is at stake."
I kept looking for quotes and responses from the parents as I was reading but there weren't any. You're right--this is a damage control piece for the daycare workers.
Well, I guess technically, he is correct. It's more like "the child care worker leaving the child inside the car while going inside". In other words...the child is still dead!!!
Except to make sure the kids were all out of the van. Geez. How many kids did I leave with? How many do I have now? Is the van empty?
This ain't rocket science.
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