Amanda Hickey, a Dunwoody daycare owner who was arrested after the death of Charlie Cronmiller, a 4-month-old baby, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Oct. 13.
The sentence also requires Hickey to serve a five-year probationary period after her release, and she’s banned from working at a daycare center or having contact with children under the age of 13.
Hickey, 48, the owner of Little Lovey, a day care located on Leisure Lane, waived her right to a jury trial, admitting guilt on 18 of the 20 charges levied against her.
In 2021, Dunwoody Police investigated the death of the infant at the daycare and found video evidence contradicting statements made by Hickey, leading to her arrest on felony murder and child cruelty charges.
According to a report filed by Dunwoody Police Officer R. Herbers, Hickey said in an interview that she put the child down for a nap at 2 p.m. on Feb. 3, and that she placed him on his back. However, surveillance cameras showed that Hickey put the baby into a Pack-N-Play on a thin mattress at 1:06 p.m. and that she placed him on his stomach. Almost two hours and 45 minutes later, Hickey checked on the child and found him unresponsive, with “vomit coming from his mouth.”
Further investigation and video evidence revealed multiple incidents of abuse by Hickey, including swinging babies by their feet, slamming them into the ground, and pushing and tripping them. The state revoked the daycare’s license five days after her arrest.
Hickey had been released from jail on a $220,000 bond since her arrest.
During the sentencing hearing, seven parents of children in Hickey’s care testified about the trauma that they experienced when learning about her abusive behavior at the daycare center, which included children from infancy to 16 months.
