The Oak Bluffs woman who is charged with leaving a child unattended in a car for multiple hours is now facing manslaughter after the child died at a Boston hospital on Wednesday.
Aimee Cotton, 41, was arraigned at the Edgartown District Court house on Thursday, March 20 after police arrested her on a warrant for the elevated charges. Cotton posted a $21,000 bail but must comply with a number of conditions. She is due back at Edgartown District Court on April 3 for a probable cause hearing.
The incident occurred on Thursday last week. Police, based on surveillance video in the area, reported that Cotton left two children she was caring for — a one-year-old girl and a two-year-old boy — in the car for over three hours. It’s unclear exactly what happened, but police reported that Cotton called 9-1-1 stating that a child whom she babysits for was not breathing and turning blue. She was providing CPR to him when first responders arrived to assist. The boy was taken to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital before he was flown to Boston.
Following the incident, Cotton pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and battery on a child with injury by a caregiver on Friday last week, as well as wanton or reckless behavior creating a risk of serious bodily injury to a child.
In the courtroom today, and facing the newest charge of manslaughter, prosecutor and assistant district attorney Leigh Scalice said that Cotton had lied to police about the incident when originally questioned. Cotton, Scalice said, gave a detailed account of the children being in her home, giving examples of toys they played with and food they ate until 12:45 when she claimed to load the two children into her car.
But security footage proved Cotton’s account was false, Scalice argued. Video surveillance from Cotton’s driveway showed the children were in the vehicle from 9:35 am, when Cotton arrived home from walking with the two children, until 12:15 pm. The footage, she argued, showed that Cotton loaded gear into the car only to leave the children in the vehicle for another hour. The children were secured in their car seats, the car turned off, and, the prosecutor argued, they had not been fed, tended to or given liquid.
The prosecutor said that when police asked Cotton if she thought leaving the children unattended for hours posed a risk, Cotton responded that if the temperature was different, it would have been a risk; Cotton also confirmed she had done the same thing at least five times prior. When questioned if she was distracted, Cotton responded that the decision was based on convenience.
“Her inability to admit what happened and lie to the police, and admit that she knew what she was doing was wrong but not so wrong that she did not act upon it for the sake of convenience; conducting activities such as personal hygiene, and making bacon in the house, and putting her child’s hockey gear together, is an intentional callous disregard for human life,” said Scalice.
Harrison Barrow, Cotton’s defense attorney, highlighted in the courtroom that Cotton was cooperative with the investigation, repeatedly waiving her Miranda rights, and helping officers view the security camera footage. Barrow also argued that the most critical timeframe of the incident lies between 12:24 and 1:15 because it was in that time frame when something went wrong in the car for the three-year-old child. Barrow pointed out that Cotton reported the child appeared normal just moments earlier, at 12:15 when she returned to the vehicle after changing the diaper of a one-year-old girl, according to her own statements.
In response, the prosecutor argued that given Cotton’s inconsistencies in her stories prior to viewing the security footage, all time frames should remain relevant.
The judge ordered a $21,000 bail and that Cotton must wear a GPS monitoring device, and that she has a curfew and must be in her home between 6 pm and 6 am. She is also ordered to stay away from and have no contact with the alleged victim’s family, and provide no daycare or childcare activities.
The Cape and Islands District Attorneys office announced that the two-year-old victim “succumbed to his injuries” sustained while in the vehicle at Mass General Hospital on Wednesday, March 19.
“District Attorney [Rob] Galibois’s thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the young toddler during this incredibly difficult time,” a release from the office stated.
“AllEGEDLY” leaving two young children she was caring for in a car for “SEVERAL HOURS”, one of whom later “DIED”!!
I just hope to `GOD` that I am chosen to be on that Jury!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I’m sure if do get called, your comment will instantly get you dismissed.
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