Last September 4th, a woman from Zanesville named Samantha Donohoe went inside her apartment. While in the apartment, Donohoe left her two-month-old son in the car for hours with the heat index that day reaching 97 degrees Fahrenheit or 36 degrees Celsius. The child was found dead when Donohoe returned to the scene. Prosecutors are now stating the temperature inside the vehicle reached 130 degrees at its peak.
27-year-old Donohoe is now being sentenced to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment. She was originally charged with murder, but had her charges reduced after she agreed to a plea deal.
This isn’t the only incident where a child has died under Donohoe’s care. In 2017, Donohoe lost her 1-month-old daughter to asphyxiation. It was found that Donohoe had fallen asleep on the couch and accidentally smothered the infant while she was sleeping. Prosecutor Mike Haddox released a statement saying they have thoroughly investigated this prior incident and have determined it to be an accident.
Involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment are both incredibly serious crimes that can lead to years in prison. If you have been charged with a type of child abuse, it’s recommended you seek trusted legal counsel.
