*A Tennessee daycare driver told state investigators she skipped a required vehicle inspection because “she was hot,” newly released records show. Six-year-old Winter Jones remained inside the van for nearly six hours on Aug. 13.
Winter, who was autistic and nonverbal, was supposed to travel from Kid University to Macon Hall Elementary School. Staff later found her unresponsive inside the parked van in Cordova.
Paramedics responded after staff discovered Winter around 2:30 p.m. Doctors later pronounced her dead after efforts to save her failed, the Daily Mail reports.
Records Detail Multiple Safety Failures
Tametria Norry, 49, signed Winter onto the van at 8:35 a.m., according to records obtained by Action News 5. Investigators say Norry then recorded Winter as dropped off at school at 8:50 a.m.
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Norry allegedly admitted she never completed the required walk-through after returning to the daycare. The Tennessee Department of Human Services investigation identified several other transportation violations.
Daycare employees Sabrina Powe and Amilya Hardin allegedly signed records confirming vehicle checks that investigators say never happened. Investigators also found the van lacked a required alarm-monitoring device.
Kid University staff also failed to complete required transportation safety refresher training, according to the investigation. The findings describe several safeguards that allegedly failed during that fateful same morning.
The outside temperature had reached 97 degrees when staff discovered Winter, according to Action News 5. Her inability to communicate verbally also limited her ability to call for help.
Three Employees Face Criminal Charges
A Shelby County grand jury indicted Norry, Powe and Hardin in connection with Winter’s death. Each faces aggravated child neglect, criminally negligent homicide and charges involving government records.
All three pleaded not guilty. They have since been released on $50,000 bonds, and another hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30.
Kid University permanently closed after Winter’s death. The daycare owner surrendered the facility’s license that same day.
Winter’s uncle, Christopher Jones, described his niece’s vulnerability while discussing what happened.
“She couldn’t advocate for herself at all,” he said.
Winter’s father, Bryan Jones, has also spoken about the future his family lost.
“As a father, I won’t be able to walk her down the aisle. I won’t become a grandfather,” he said.
The state investigation now documents several alleged failures before staff discovered Winter. Prosecutors must still prove their criminal allegations against the three former daycare employees.
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