Former Babysitter Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter

Terry McKirchy, a 62-year-old former babysitter, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in connection with the 2019 death of Benjamin Dowling, who suffered lifelong disabilities from an injury he sustained as an infant. This injury, which was caused by McKirchy shaking him in a fit of anger, resulted in a brain hemorrhage when he was just five months old. Dowling lived in a wheelchair, unable to walk, talk, or eat independently, until his death at age 35. In a letter read in court, McKirchy expressed remorse, admitting that her actions had severely harmed both Dowling and his family. The Dowlings expressed that while they appreciated her admission, it could not change the tragic outcome of their son's life. McKirchy had previously faced charges of first-degree murder but accepted a plea deal to avoid a life sentence.