Two daycare owners, a mother and daughter, from Portales, New Mexico were found guilty Tuesday afternoon by a Roosevelt County jury.
Mary Taylor, 64, and Sandi Taylor, 33, were found guilty of child abuse resulting in death.
The two women left two children unattended in the back of a daycare van in July of 2017.
The children suffered from extreme heat exposure.
Maliyah Jones died and Aubrey Loya was airlifted to a Lubbock hospital for treatment. Both girls were under the age of 2 at the time.
The two women unloaded children from the van for naptime in the Taylor Tots Daycare in Portales, but overlooked to two youngest kids who were strapped into their safety seats.
The Ninth Judicial DIstrict Attorney issued the following statement:
Ninth Judicial District Attorney, Andrea Reeb, announced that today a Roosevelt County jury returned guilty verdicts for Mary Taylor, age 64, of Portales NM; and Sandi Taylor, age 33, of Portales, NM; on charges of First Degree Child Abuse Resulting in Death and First Degree Child Abuse Resulting in Great Bodily Harm. The first degree felonies each carry a maximum punishment of 18 years in prison. The 4-day trial began on January 30, 2019.
On July 25, 2017, the Taylors left two toddlers under the age of 2, unattended in a closed parked vehicle for two and one-half hours after returning from a field trip.
Evidence presented at trial showed that the Taylor Tots Day Care did not follow the proper rules and procedures mandated by CYFD including failing to do headcounts, driving the children without permission, and failing to have proper care giver to child ratio. Maliyah Jones, died later at the hospital and Aubriauna Loya was airlifted to a Lubbock hospital. Aubriauna is recovering but faces a lifetime of physical challenges, having to attend occupational, physical and speech therapy at least twice a week.
The Honorable Donna J. Mowrer remanded both women into custody after the verdicts were announced. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
Andrea Reeb, District Attorney, and Quentin Ray, Deputy District Attorney prosecuted the case for the State. The Taylors were represented by Tye Harmon, Attorney at Law from Clovis.
CORRECTION: The ages of the two defendants have been corrected.
