Three adults in Memphis, Tennessee, were arrested in connection with the death of a 6-year-old girl who died after being left on a hot daycare bus for hours.
The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office announced on Friday, September 11, that bus driver Tametria Norry, assistant director of the Kid University facility Sabrina Powe and daycare assistant Amilya Hardin were indicted following Winter Jones’ death.
Norry, Powe and Hardin were each charged with one count of aggravated child neglect, criminally negligent homicide and destruction of and tampering with governmental records, Us can confirm.
Memphis police and ambulance crews were called to Kid University on August 13 after Jones was discovered on a bus outside of the daycare. She was then taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Winter had been dropped off at Kid University on the morning of her death, and daycare staff were supposed to take her to Macon Hall Elementary School. However, she “remained inside the daycare vehicle after it returned to Kid University,” according to the D.A.’s office. She was not found until around 3 p.m. that afternoon, per Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Winter’s father, Bryan Jones, said that the girl died with an “internal temperature” of 109 degrees, per WREG.
The Tennessee Department of Human Services conducted a fatality inspection at Kid University following Winter’s death, and they found the daycare “noncompliant with several transportation requirements.”
“Among the findings, inspectors reported that required vehicle inspection procedures were not completed after children were unloaded, the transportation log was not accurately completed and required walk-throughs to confirm all children were off the vehicle were not conducted,” the D.A.’s office said.
Winter’s family spoke out about her death for the first time during a press conference on Thursday, September 10. Bryan called his daughter’s death “senseless” and said it was the result of “absolute negligence” from the daycare staff, per the Commercial Appeal.
“This is an absolute nightmare,” Bryan said. “As a father, I won’t be able to walk her down the aisle. I won’t become a grandfather. I can’t watch Winter progress even though she was diagnosed with autism. Winter was progressing. All of that was taken away by absolute negligence, by people who were too busy doing nothing to where they couldn’t make sure Winter was taken care of properly.”
The family’s attorney, Walter Bailey, added that the daycare employees were being investigated for “many infractions” and that the girl’s family plans to pursue the case in civil court.
Kid University permanently closed following Winter’s death, and owner Dr. Raven Marshall-Lewis surrendered the facility’s license.
It’s not currently clear whether Norry, Powe and Hardin have entered pleas or retained legal counsel following their arrests. The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office confirmed to Us that the three defendants are currently being held on a $100,000 bond, which is subject to change at their bail hearings. The next court date in the case is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, September 16.
