Babysitter sentenced in accidental death of 7-month-old
LONDON — The two women, both mothers, sat sobbing in the courtroom Friday morning as Madison County Common Pleas Court Judge Eamon Costello began to explain the punishment he was about to hand down in the death of 7-month-old Noah Hagmeier.
Jessica “Nikki” Carter was babysitting Noah and had left him in his crib with several blankets on May 19, 2016, the day he died. The judge prefaced Carter’s sentence by saying that she showed remorse, had no criminal history and didn’t intend for Noah to die.
Costello sentenced Carter to three months in jail and five years of community control for the accidental death. Carter had agreed in April to plead no contest to a charge of attempted child endangering, a fourth-degree felony. A charge of reckless homicide was dismissed.
Carter, 35, ran a home day care and had five other children in her care that day nearly a year ago. Costello noted that Noah’s parents, Jennifer and Jeffrey Hagmeier, had warned Carter to not leave blankets in the crib when Noah was sleeping.
“If I had to speculate, my guess is that you were being pulled in a lot of different directions at one time,” Costello said.
According to prosecutors, Noah had four blankets and a comforter around him when he was
found face down and not breathing. A coroner ruled that he died of asphyxia. Pediatricians and childsafety experts warn that babies should always be placed on their backs in a crib with no blankets, pillows, toys or other objects.
Carter was ordered to report Monday to the TriCounty Regional Jail in Mechanicsburg. After her release, she must complete 80 hours of community service to include warning day care operators about the dangers of leaving blankets in cribs with unattended babies.
Carter, of London, wept throughout the hearing, turning at one point to tell the Hagmeiers that she was sorry and “didn’t know this was going to happen.”
Mrs. Hagmeier, also in tears, said she wanted everyone to know that “Noah was not just a baby who died.”
“He was a person, a strong- willed little baby who loved to laugh and giggle,” she said.
Mrs. Hagmeier said another son, 3 years old, was at Carter’s day care that day and might have seen the aftermath of his brother’s death.
“I don’t know exactly what he saw,” she said. “But for months he was afraid to vomit. He thought for sure if he did that he would die.”
She said she trusted Carter and bragged about her to friends, even the day before Noah’s death.
“I like her. My kids loved her. And I trusted her completely.”
A year later, she said, “We don’t trust anyone any more because we are not sure we are making good decisions.”
Part of the sentence requires Carter to notify future parents of children she may care for about the circumstances of her conviction.
Mrs. Hagmeier said outside the courthouse that she was satisfied with Carter’s punishment, even though it cannot bring her son back.
“This was not a 16-yearold who never babysat before and didn’t know any better.”
The community has since rallied around Noah’s death to raise thousands of dollars for a playground in his memory.