A man pleaded guilty Tuesday to aggravated manslaughter in connection with the death of a toddler who was left in a daycare van four years ago in Homestead.
Lelier Perez Hernandez also pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence. He will spend six months in jail, be on probation for seven years and will pay up to $15,000 in restitution to the victim's family.
Dominicue Andrews' mother spoke directly to Hernandez during his plea hearing. The 22-month-old toddler died in a hot van, strapped into a car seat in the daycare's minivan. Hernandez was the driver.
"But I forgive you though. It's hard for me to accept it but I forgive you," Leana Andrews said.
Hernandez admitted to forgetting the toddler in the van. When he remembered, he went back and took the child's lifeless body and placed it on the ground. But according to the arrest report, he didn't tell anyone until much later.
"He has to live with this the rest of his life. It was the perfect storm, unfortunately. It wasn't intentional," said Defense Attorney Steven Amster.
In the plea agreement, Hernandez will serve six months in jail, followed by seven years of probation. But his sentence didn't start Tuesday.
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He'll turn himself in on Oct. 27 to begin serving his jail sentence.
