A former Norfolk daycare operator, Jessica Cherry, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the death of a two-year-old child and the injury of a one-year-old.
Cherry had previously pleaded guilty in a separate child neglect case.
The judge, Michelle Atkins, sentenced Cherry to seven years of active prison time for involuntary manslaughter in the case of Kaylee Thomas, the two-year-old who died under Cherry’s care.
Atkins added an additional three years of active time for the injury to a one-year-old child that occurred five years ago.
Cherry’s attorney spoke in her defense, while prosecutor Andrew Culp emphasized the lasting impact on the families involved.
The judge also read through Victim Impact statements before suspending an additional five years of Cherry’s sentence.
This case has been ongoing and is finally coming to a close with this sentencing.
