Babysitter sentenced to 5 years in prison in child's death

Melissa Garcia-Rivera
Melissa Garcia-Rivera

BENTONVILLE -- A Rogers woman admitted to placing 7 pounds of pillows and blankets on top of an 8-month-old baby that caused the child's death.

Melissa Garcia-Rivera, 21, pleaded guilty today to manslaughter, a Class C felony punishable with a prison sentence ranging from three to 10 years. The plea was under an agreement that Carrie Dobbs, deputy prosecutor, reached with Steven Kay, Garcia-Rivera's attorney.

Circuit Judge Robin Green sentenced Garcia-Rivera five years in prison. She must abide by a suspended sentence agreement for five years after her release from prison.

She was ordered not to have any unsupervised contact with any child.

Garcia-Rivera was arrested Oct. 12.

The infant was dead when Marco Antonio Garcia, who is engaged to Garcia-Rivera, took her to Mercy Medical Center on Oct. 10, according to a probable cause affidavit. Medical staff told Larry Taylor, a Rogers Police Department detective, the girl's body had no obvious signs of injuries and the cause of death was unknown, according to the affidavit.

Garcia told police Garcia-Rivera baby-sits six children, including the 8-month-old, during the day.

Police interviewed Garcia-Rivera, who said she was frustrated with the child, but didn't intentionally hurt her. Garcia-Rivera said she placed the baby in a toddler bed and put pillows on the child when she was on her stomach. She said she left the baby for an hour, and, when she went back to check, the baby wasn't breathing, according to the affidavit.

Garcia-Rivera admitted in court to putting pillows and blankets on top of the child. Garcia-Rivera said she loved the girl.

"I am sorry," Garcia-Rivera said. "I am terribly sorry."

Wade Hummer and Melissa McCraw-Hummer, the girl's parents, described their daughter and how her death had impacted their lives.

"As Wade and I try to move forward with life and find happiness again, I want to ask that people not forget her," McCraw-Hummer said. "We had a daughter named Maisy Lane Hummer. She was 8-months-old and full of life.

"She had dimples and a button nose," she said. "She was my whole world."

NW News on 03/27/2018

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