Megan Dauphin.Photo: Bay County Sheriff’s Office
A Florida mother has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for leaving her infant in her truck on a hot day for four hours, resulting in the child’s death.
On Wednesday, Megan Dauphin, 32, of Panama City, was given the maximum sentence after being found guilty in April of the aggravated manslaughter of her newborn, McKinlee Grace Garner,WJHGreports.
When she got home, she walked into the house without McKinlee.
Dauphin was high on methamphetamine when she left McKinlee in the car, authorities said, according to WMBB.
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Her family and friends said she was in shock after her daughter died, WMBB reports.
In court on Monday, Dauphin said she is still distraught over her daughter’s death.
“I do the best I can every day to just be there for the rest of my other kids,” Dauphin said,WKRGreports. “But even that is, or anytime I see any little girl I serve, I would break down in the bathroom and cry.”
Her sister, Tiffany Dauphin, told the court her sister was a good person who made a mistake, WKRG reports.
“I’ve known her as kind, respectable, trustworthy, honest, giving,” Tiffany said, WKRG reports. “And she’s always been there to help any time that anyone in the family has ever needed anything. She loves kids. She has always loved kids.”
During Dauphin’s trial in April, her friend Robin Howell testified about how distraught Dauphin was after her daughter’s death, WMBB reports.
“And I was just telling her, you know, it’s going to be OK. It’s going to be OK,” Howell said. “And [Dauphin] said, ‘No, it’s not.’ She said, ‘I’m going to prison.'”
The following day, Dauphin told Howell in a Facebook message that she had drugs in her system when McKinlee died, Howell testified, WKRG reports.
Deputies who were called to the scene on Sept. 2, 2020, said they found drug paraphernalia at her home that was consistent with the use of methamphetamine, according to a statement from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators tested Dauphin for drugs that day, showing she was under the influence of methamphetamine on the morning of the incident, the statement said.
She was arrested and booked into the Bay County Jail.
Dauphin has 30 days to appeal the sentencing.
Her attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
source: people.com
