Daycare owner Jacqueline Murray and employee Karen Tharpe have been charged with neglect causing death, a Level 1 Felony.
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The baby, Taliah Brigham, was just 11 months and 7 days old on April 6 when she died a gruesome and preventable death at Miracles and Blessings Daycare Ministry, 4444 W. 10th St., prosecutors allege.
Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry announced charges against a daycare owner and worker in connection with an infant’s death at a Speedway daycare in April.
On April 6, the child was found unresponsive in a auto set.
Police arrived to find an employee performing CPR on the girl.
First responders rushed Taliah to Riley Hospital for Children, where she died the next day. According to the court records filed Monday, Brigham was left “unattended while partially restrained in a vehicle seat”.
When Tharpe returned to check on the girl about five minutes later, Taliah’s legs hung low off the infant seat. She noticed Taliah’s legs were sticking out farther from the auto seat than they should have been; she unbuckled the baby and set her on a table. He estimated she left Tharpe alone for “well over an hour”. According to court documents, Murray admitted to leaving Tharpe alone, saying she went to pick up more children.
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“No one person would be able to see and observe every single child because they were in three separate rooms”, Curry said. Police are now negotiating with her for her surrender.
