Bucks County woman sentenced after baby died from car seat strangulation at illegal daycare, DA says
UPPER SOUTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A Bucks County woman has been sentenced to time in county jail in connection with the death of a baby at an unlicensed daycare.
According to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office, 50-year-old Lauren Elizabeth Landgrebe of Upper Southampton Township was sentenced to one to two years in county prison followed by 10 years of probation for the death of an 11-month-old girl at an illegal daycare facility run out of her home.
Landgrebe was also ordered to have no contact with the family of the victim and she is not allowed to provide childcare or babysit, according to authorities.
On August 27, 2019, the baby died from asphyxiation by strangulation after being placed in a car seat incorrectly and left unattended for several hours, officials say.
Investigators say Landgrebe placed the baby in the car seat around 1:00 p.m. and then went to lay by the pool at her home. She went back inside around 2 p.m. and used a towel to prop the bottle up, so the baby could drink unattended, according to officials.
After laying by the pool for two more hours, she returned to check on the baby around 4 p.m.
On the day of the baby's death, there were seven other children in her care, according to authorities.
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Investigators also say she took a photo of the napping baby around 2 p.m., but deleted it when her husband was on the phone with 911 as he was performing CPR on the child.
According to authorities, the image was recovered and it showed the baby slumped in the car seat with the chest strap around her neck.
"The photo showed the car seat's leg straps were not engaged. The leg straps would have prevented the baby from sliding down in the seat," the DA's Office said.
The infant died 22 days before her first birthday, according to officials.
In June, Landgrebe pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, endangering the welfare of children, operating a daycare facility without a license and tampering with evidence.
Judge Wallace H. Bateman Jr., heard impact statements from eight relatives of the baby, including her parents and grandparents.
"The world lost a beautiful light that shone upon anyone who came into contact with her," the baby's mother said.
Bateman called Landgrebe's actions callous and said the tragedy was avoidable.
"Five seconds to engage the leg straps and we're not here," Bateman said.