Photo: Bay City, Texas Police DepartmentA Texas mother will spend the rest of her life in prison forleaving her 7-year-old bedridden daughter home alonewith younger siblings so that she could go out partying.The case began in January 2020 when police in Bay City conducted a welfare check at the home of Lauren Kay Dean. When they arrived at the scene, officers discovered the body of 7-year-old Jordynn Barrera.According to prosecutors, Jordynn had Down syndrome and cerebral palsy. She was non-communicative and required a feeding tube. The girl’s doctor later told police that she needed round-the-clock care.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.During their investigation, police determined that Dean, then a 26-year-old single mom, had left the girl home alone with her two siblings, aged 5 years and 3 months. She then went to Shade’s Nightclub, a bar near her home. Jordynn died while left alone without adult supervision.The other two children were unharmed but were removed from the home.Dean was initially charged with three felony counts of abandonment and endangerment of a child, placing them in imminent danger of bodily injury. She was subsequently charged with capital murder of a person under the age of 10.TheBay City Tribunereports that Dean pleaded guilty to spare herself a trial and the possible death penalty. She was given a life sentence for the murder charge. She also was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the other charges. The sentences will be served concurrently.Dean did not address the court.
Photo: Bay City, Texas Police Department
A Texas mother will spend the rest of her life in prison forleaving her 7-year-old bedridden daughter home alonewith younger siblings so that she could go out partying.The case began in January 2020 when police in Bay City conducted a welfare check at the home of Lauren Kay Dean. When they arrived at the scene, officers discovered the body of 7-year-old Jordynn Barrera.According to prosecutors, Jordynn had Down syndrome and cerebral palsy. She was non-communicative and required a feeding tube. The girl’s doctor later told police that she needed round-the-clock care.Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.During their investigation, police determined that Dean, then a 26-year-old single mom, had left the girl home alone with her two siblings, aged 5 years and 3 months. She then went to Shade’s Nightclub, a bar near her home. Jordynn died while left alone without adult supervision.The other two children were unharmed but were removed from the home.Dean was initially charged with three felony counts of abandonment and endangerment of a child, placing them in imminent danger of bodily injury. She was subsequently charged with capital murder of a person under the age of 10.TheBay City Tribunereports that Dean pleaded guilty to spare herself a trial and the possible death penalty. She was given a life sentence for the murder charge. She also was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the other charges. The sentences will be served concurrently.Dean did not address the court.
A Texas mother will spend the rest of her life in prison forleaving her 7-year-old bedridden daughter home alonewith younger siblings so that she could go out partying.
The case began in January 2020 when police in Bay City conducted a welfare check at the home of Lauren Kay Dean. When they arrived at the scene, officers discovered the body of 7-year-old Jordynn Barrera.
According to prosecutors, Jordynn had Down syndrome and cerebral palsy. She was non-communicative and required a feeding tube. The girl’s doctor later told police that she needed round-the-clock care.
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
During their investigation, police determined that Dean, then a 26-year-old single mom, had left the girl home alone with her two siblings, aged 5 years and 3 months. She then went to Shade’s Nightclub, a bar near her home. Jordynn died while left alone without adult supervision.
The other two children were unharmed but were removed from the home.
Dean was initially charged with three felony counts of abandonment and endangerment of a child, placing them in imminent danger of bodily injury. She was subsequently charged with capital murder of a person under the age of 10.
TheBay City Tribunereports that Dean pleaded guilty to spare herself a trial and the possible death penalty. She was given a life sentence for the murder charge. She also was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the other charges. The sentences will be served concurrently.
Dean did not address the court.
source: people.com
