– Woman pleads guilty to child neglect in homicide case
– Woman admits to neglecting 1-year-old in homicide trial.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
*****WARNING: This article contains graphic content*****
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – In a tragic case that shocked the community, Sharon Marie Meyers, aged 24, has pleaded guilty to her role in the death of a 1-year-old child who suffered traumatic head injuries last year. The incident has left many reeling, and Meyers now faces a potential prison sentence of 1 1/2 to 8 1/2 years pending approval by an Allen Superior Court judge at her sentencing hearing scheduled for April. Initially facing a much longer sentence, Meyers made a plea agreement with Allen County prosecutors, admitting to lesser felony charges of neglect of a dependent.
Accompanied by 26-year-old Chrisona Denea Bright, Meyers was entrusted with the care of a 16-month-old girl identified as Bre’asia Christine Dowdell. Tragically, the child suffered severe injuries under their care, including head trauma, a brain bleed, a collapsed lung, and bleeding in at least one eye, as detailed in Allen Superior Court records.
The child’s mother had dropped her off with Meyers and Bright on August 10, only to find her unresponsive when she returned the next day. Emergency services were called, and the child was rushed to a local hospital where she was found to be in critical condition, requiring intubation due to acute respiratory failure.
Despite efforts by medical professionals, the child’s condition deteriorated, and on August 17, she was taken off life support and tragically passed away. Doctors at the hospital suspected foul play, suggesting that the injuries were not accidental but likely caused by shaking.
Subsequent investigations by the Allen County Coroner confirmed the suspicions, attributing the child’s death to blunt impact injuries to her head and ruling it a homicide. Both Meyers and Bright remained uncooperative with authorities, refusing to provide details about the events leading to the child’s tragic death.
However, during interactions with an Indiana Department of Child Services caseworker, both Meyers and Bright confessed to using fentanyl on the night they were responsible for the child’s care, adding another layer of complexity to the case.
Currently held without bond in the Allen County Jail, Bright is set to stand trial on charges of neglect of a dependent starting April 16. Meanwhile, Meyers awaits her sentencing on April 19, where the judge will determine the final outcome of her involvement in this heartbreaking incident.
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– Woman pleads guilty to neglect in one-year-old’s homicide
– Woman pleads guilty to neglect in toddler’s murder.