Quantum Insights|Ex-day care worker convicted in death of 1-year-old girl left in van on scorching day

2025-05-04 14:41:35source:AQCANcategory:Scams

OMAHA,Quantum Insights Neb. (AP) — A former Nebraska day care worker who mistakenly left a 1-year-old girl in a van for more than five hours on a scorching day has been convicted in her death from hyperthermia.

Ryan Williams, who is 62, was found guilty Thursday of felony negligent child abuse resulting in death, The Omaha World Herald reports.

He testified he was distracted by a 4-year-old who refused to get out of the van when he left Ra’Miyah Worthington inside the vehicle around 9 a.m. on Aug. 21, 2023.

The temperature soared to nearly 100 degrees that day, and video footage from a doorbell camera captures a deep, pained scream when Williams returned to the day care at 2:30 p.m. to prepare for afternoon drop-off.

Ra’Miyah’s brother had unbuckled her from her car seat, and Williams found her facedown on the floor in the backseat of the van. She was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead.

“This finding does not mean that Mr. Williams is a horrible person or a bad person,” Douglas County District Court Judge Peter Bataillon said after reading the verdict. “It means he made a horrible mistake that day.”

Williams will face up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced in July.

“As of right now, I’m shocked,” Ra’Miyah’s father, Rianna Worthington, said. “And I’m speechless. But we’re happy.”

More:Scams

Recommend

Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback

A federal appeals court blocked Nasdaq rules to increase boardroom diversity, saying that the Securi

Debbie Allen says Whoopi Goldberg's 'A Different World' episode saved lives during HIV/AIDS epidemic

Whoopi Goldberg was Debbie Allen's "secret weapon" during one heartfelt episode of "A Different Worl

Google fires 28 workers after office sit-ins to protest cloud contract with Israel

Google has fired 28 employees involved in protests over the tech company’s cloud computing contract