A Kentucky man whose five-month-old daughter died after being left in a van with two other small children in 2016 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Michael Anthony Thigpen, 34, received his sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter and assault charges.
Authorities said Thigpen's baby daughter, Emma Grace Thigpen, died of hyperthermia, also known as heat stroke, on June 10, 2016 after her dad left her and her two toddler sisters in the van he parked outside the trailer home where Thigpen was staying in Auburn, Kentucky.
The other two unidentified girls, who were 18 months and two years old at the time, were later hospitalized for heat-related problems as well, according to the Bowling Green Daily News.
An investigation determined Thigpen had been awake for a total of 24 hours, driving an Uber and taking his wife to work, before returning to the Auburn dwelling with the three children.
Authorities testifying during previous court hearings said Thigpen originally claimed he'd left the children sleeping in one room of the trailer when the room's air conditioner unit lost power.
An investigator testified that Thigpen eventually confessed to leaving the girls in the vehicle, blaming his lack of sleep for the mistake.
Man sentenced to 10 years in death of infant daughter left in hot van
RUSSELLVILLE – A father whose infant daughter died after being left in a hot van for several hours was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison.
www.bgdailynews.com