INDIANAPOLIS -- Two former day care workers were booked into the Marion County jail Monday following their first court appearance.
Jacqueline Murray and Karen Tharpe are both charged with felony neglect of a dependent resulting in death in connection with the death of Taliah Brigham, a 10-month old who stopped breathing at Miracles and Blessings Day Care in April.
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Investigators with the Speedway Police Department say Murray, the day care’s owner, left the daycare on April 6 before the incident, and knowingly left Tharpe, an employee, alone to be responsible for 36 children in three rooms.
According to court documents, Murray admitted to leaving Tharpe alone, saying she went to pick up more children.
On April 6, the child was found unresponsive in a car set.
Brigham's death was determined to be mechanical asphyxiation, caused by the car seat's safety belts not being properly connected.
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Tharpe told police she placed Brigham in a car seat, then left the room for about five minutes. When she returned, the infant had slid down the seat, with the chest buckle at her neck.
"According to her statement, she noticed the child's feet were sticking out much further than the car seat, and took the child out of the seat, put her on the table, and attempted to revive the child," said Terry Curry, Marion Co. Prosecutor.
A warrant was issued for Murray, and a summons to appear was issued for Tharpe.
Jail records show both women were booked into the jail Monday morning, and then released.
If the women are convicted, they could face 20 to 40 years in prison.
They are scheduled for a pretrial conference on October 11.
The day care closed its doors amid efforts by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to shut down the facility.
If you want to look up a day care's inspection report,click here .
