Prosecutors intend to offer a plea deal to an Akron child-care operator scheduled to go on trial this month in the death of a 1-year-old girl left inside an SUV last summer.
Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Colleen Sims did not elaborate on the terms of the state’s offer to defendant Lisa Scott during a pretrial hearing Tuesday.
However, Sims told Common Pleas Judge Tom Parker that prosecutors are “pursuing” an offer to present to Scott’s attorney, Martha Hom, in advance of a scheduled Jan. 18 trial.
Outside of the courtroom, Hom said she has yet to receive the state’s offer. She declined further comment.
Scott, 43, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide and child endangering in the Sept. 2 death of toddler Aolani McCray of Akron. The manslaughter charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years. The remaining counts carry five-year maximum sentences.
The child’s family, including her mother, Charice McCray, also declined comment as they left the courthouse. They had been seated in the courtroom one row behind Scott without speaking to the defendant, who is free on bond.
Prosecutors contend Scott, an independent child-care provider, left the girl alone in a third-row seat while the SUV was parked on Russell Avenue. The driveway was the home of Scott’s mother, who also operated a home child-care business.
Authorities said Aolani was left inside the vehicle for several hours, with the outside temperatures in the low 90s. She later died at Akron Children’s Hospital.
Scott expressed her remorse about the death during questioning by police, a prosecutor said previously. She told a detective she forgot Aolani, who was buckled inside a rear seat, after unloading four other children and going inside the home.
Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com.