Woman Pleads Guilty in Death of Infant at Oxford Daycare; Sentenced to 20 Years

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

A woman charged in the death of an infant while under her care at a former Oxford daycare will spend at least seven years in prison.

Amy Lee Ann Rogers, 25, was arrested in December 2020 and charged with culpable negligence manslaughter in the death of an 8-week-old Brynlee Hastings while working at Mother Goose Day Care.

A grand jury later indicted Rogers for felony murder.

On Friday, Rogers agreed to plea guilty to culpable negligence manslaughter. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison; however, 13 years will be suspended with Rogers to serve seven years. She will be placed on three years of supervised probation after her release. If she violates her probation, she could be sentenced to finish out the remaining 13-year sentence.

Video footage obtained from the daycare shows that at 3:17 p.m. on Nov. 17, 2020, Rogers swaddled the baby and then placed her in a small “dog bed-like” bed on her stomach and walked away.

At 3:52 p.m., Rogers checked on Brynlee and found her unresponsive.

It was determined that Brynlee suffered from an anoxic brain injury due to the deprivation of oxygen to her brain by being placed on her stomach, which is a basic “first principles” violation of state regulation and well-established safe-sleep practices for infants.

Brynlee died at 4:50 p.m. on Nov. 18.

The Mississippi State Department of Health found the daycare in violation of at least eight state regulations. Mother Goose Daycare has since closed.

Brynlee’s parents, Joe and Jenna Hastings filed a lawsuit against Mother Goose, Rogers and other employees at the daycare at the time of their daughter’s death. The lawsuit is still pending.