Former babysitter sentenced to three years in prison after man she hurt as a baby dies
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A former babysitter has been sentenced to three years in prison after the man she hurt as an infant succumbed to his injuries 35 years later. She pleaded guilty in court to manslaughter charges against her.
Terry McKirchy, 62, was indicted by a grand jury for a first-degree murder charge in 2021 for the death of Benjamin Dowling. However, she pleaded guilty to a lesser charge after an agreement with prosecutors.
McKirchy was babysitting Dowling on July 3, 1984, when he was just six months old. According to the court records, she shook him forcefully, resulting in permanent brain damage to him. Dowlingdied at the age of 35 in 2019 due to the injuries.
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In 1985, McKirchy faced a no-contest plea to first-degree attempted murder and aggravated battery, a serious crime considered a felony. As she was pregnant at the time, she only spent weekends in prison till the time she gave birth. She also served 60 days and then was on probation for three years, according to court records.
A new lawsuit was opened against McKirchy after Dowling's autopsy revealed that the cause of death was the injuries he suffered in 1984, Broward County State Attorney’s Office stated in 2021, after which she was arrested. However, she was later released after being issued a $100,000 bond. She was summoned by the court again on May 29, 2024, to return to prison.
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As per the terms of the agreement, McKirchy will remain on probation for 10 years after her term in prison. She was also ordered by the court to write an apology letter, as requested by Dowling’s parents, describing the events of July 3, 1984.
“It was in a state of impulse and anger that I struck Benjamin while he and other children were crying,” she wrote, reports WTVJ. “Your life and Benjamin’s life were truly harmed by me and I am truly sorry.”
“We are pleased that this day is over, but we’ll always remember Benjamin,” Rae Dowling, Benjamin's mother, told WTVJ on Wednesday.
“She will have to live with this,” she added.
Due to his severe injuries, Benjamin Dowling had to undergo several surgeries. He depended on a feeding tube inserted in the abdomen throughout his life.
(With inputs from agencies)