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Woman enters plea in death of baby at Est Side day care
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
The owner of an East Side day care where an infant died in January entered guilty pleas Thursday to reduced charges.
Deborah Poindexter, 47, of Lenox Avenue, entered Alford pleas before Visiting Judge Richard Reimbold in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to a third-degree felony count of involuntary manslaughter and a misdemeanor charge of child endangering.
Poindexter, who has no criminal record and has been free on bond since she was indicted on a charge of murder by a grand jury in July, will be sentenced Dec. 23. Her bond has been continued.
Assistant Prosecutor Jennifer McLaughlin is recommending a sentence of probation for three years.
An Alford plea means a defendant maintains innocence but acknowledges there is enough evidence that a jury may be able to find a person guilty.
McLaughlin said in court that there have been lengthy plea negotiations in the case, and the defense was prepared to offer experts who would rebut experts by the state who would say that Mekhi Dawson died Jan. 30 from blunt force injuries at the day care.
McLaughlin said the defense experts would have said the injuries that caused the baby’s death happened at a different time.
The case was to begin with jury selection Thursday.
Reports said officers were called to the day care about noon Jan. 30 on a report of a 4-month-old baby who was not breathing, and when they arrived, two ambulances were there.
Poindexter told police the baby was lying on the floor of the basement when Poindexter went upstairs to answer the door, reports said.
Reports said when Poindexter returned, the baby was crying. Reports said Poindexter told police she thought one of the other smaller children at the day care may have fallen on Mekhi while she was upstairs.
Poindexter told police she changed the baby’s diaper and picked him up because he was still crying, and was walking and bouncing him when clear fluid came out of the baby’s nose, and he stopped breathing.
Poindexter then called 911, reports said.
Paramedics working on the baby told police he was dead. The baby was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital, reports said.
Other than answer the judge’s questions, Poindexter said the mother of the child wanted a chance to speak. Judge Reimbold said she will get that chance at the sentencing hearing,