Washington day care owner sentenced in child endangerment case

WASHINGTON - A day care provider accused of forcing kids to sleep in car seats while at her in-home day care will spend less than a week in jail as part of a plea agreement.

Debra Crawford, 48, turned herself in to authorities in June after the accusations surfaced. She pleaded guilty Sept. 17 to four counts of child endangerment.

After a contested sentencing hearing Wednesday at the Washington County courthouse, a judge sentenced Crawford to four days in jail and two years probation. Child endangerment carries a maximum of two years in jail for each count.

One of the mothers who had a child at Crawford's day care testified during the hearing.

'There were body parts spilling over the seats,” Tera Pickens told the court. 'They looked like little animals, caged up, they just had no say.”

Pickens said her daughter first told her on Mother's Day about what was going on. Pickens and another parent confronted Crawford the next day while the kids were in her care.

'The room was hot, the children were red-faced, and all in car seats too small,” Pickens testified. She also said at least one of the kids was tied into the seat to keep her from getting out.

Washington County Attorney Larry Brock said Crawford used the restraints for at least two hours a day for six months.

'I had them in car seats, three of them were on the bed, and one of them was on the floor,” Crawford testified on her own behalf while asking for a deferred judgment. 'I was always in the house, just down the hall.”

Crawford's request for a deferred judgment was denied and she said she has no plans to ever reopen a day care in any community.

Friends called by the defense testified that Crawford is a person of good character and she has been deeply saddened by the situation.

Crawford was also fined $625 for each of the four counts of child endangerment.