Day Care Workers Plead Guilty in Tot's Death

Former driver and director avoid prison time in death of 2-year old left in hot van

The two people held responsible for the death of a 2-year-old child left in a hot day care center van have pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, but will avoid prison.

Amanda Inman and Petra Rodriguez Perez were sentenced to 10 years probation Tuesday for their roles in the tragic death of Haile Brockington, who was found dead inside a parked van at the Katie's Kids Learning Center in Delray Beach last year.

Both faced at least 13 years in prison, if convicted.

As part of the plea deal, neither woman is allowed to work around children again, a Palm Beach judge ruled.

Phone calls to attorneys for Inman and Rodriguez Perez were not immediately returned.

In June, Katie's Kids shut down all of its South Florida locations, stating financial hardships surfaced after the bad press surrounding the death.

Inman, 32. was the driver who picked up Brockington on Aug. 5, 2010, but did not check to see if the little girl got off the van, prosecutors alleged.

Rodriguez Perez was Inman's trainer and allegedly never taught the driver to check and see if all the children got off the van at the day care center.

Authorities believe Brockington was trapped on the hot van for six hours before day care center employees discovered her lifeless body in the van.

Brockington's family has already filed a lawsuit against the owners of Katie's Kids.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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