In a recent court hearing, Amanda Hickey, a 48-year-old suburban Atlanta woman, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The sentencing came after Hickey was found guilty of the 2021 murder of a 4-month-old infant, Charlie Cronmiller, under her care.
The infant was placed to sleep on his abdomen at the Little Lovey child care center, a facility Hickey operated from her Dunwoody home's basement.
During the sentencing on Friday, families of children Hickey was alleged to have abused took the stand, providing moving testimonies that painted a disturbing picture of her child care practices.
Hickey, showing remorse, addressed DeKalb County Superior Court Chief Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson. "I know that there is nothing I can say in words to take away their pain, except to take responsibility and express extreme sorrow for what I've done," she said, as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She further added, "This is my legacy now."
Tragic Loss: 4-Month-Old Charlie Cronmiller's Heartbreaking Death Under Hickey's Care
The tragic incident took place on February 3, 2021. Charlie Cronmiller was under Hickey's supervision when he tragically lost his life.
Despite the safety guidelines that mandate placing babies on their backs for sleep, security footage revealed that Hickey had positioned the infant facedown.
The situation took a grimmer turn when Hickey failed to check on the baby for over two hours. When she finally did, she found him covered in vomit and unresponsive. Charlie was rushed to the hospital, where he was subsequently declared dead.
The security video footage was pivotal not just for this case but also shed light on other disturbing incidents. It showed Hickey handling babies aggressively-swinging them by their feet, slamming them to the ground, and even pulling their hair.
There were also instances of her pushing and tripping toddlers and jeopardizing other infants by placing them in perilous sleeping positions. These affected children were reportedly between 6 and 18 months old.
Though Hickey's license permitted her to care for six children, it was found that ten children were present in her facility on the day of Charlie's tragic death.
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Stephanie Cronmiller Shares Pain, Self-blame in Court
On September 22, Hickey pleaded guilty to a slew of charges, including seven counts of first-degree child cruelty, seven counts of reckless conduct, one count of second-degree child cruelty, and three counts of battery.
Additionally, she entered an Alford plea, permitting her to retain her claim of innocence while concurrently acknowledging that pleading guilty was in her best interest. This plea was particularly for charges related to second-degree murder and second-degree child cruelty linked to Charlie Cronmiller's death.
Stephanie Cronmiller, Charlie's grief-stricken mother, spoke to the court during the hearing, emphasizing Hickey's perceived lack of genuine remorse.
"The only thing she's sorry about is that she got caught. I focus on forgiving myself because I chose her. How could I not think this was my fault?" she lamented.
The court proceedings concluded with Hickey being immediately taken into custody. Chief Judge Jackson issued strict orders for Hickey's eventual release. She is barred from establishing contact with the victims or any child below 13 years of age. Additionally, she cannot derive any financial benefits from this case.
