Georgia Daycare Owner Charged With Murder After Infant Dies In Her Care

A Georgia daycare owner is facing murder charges after a 4-month-old infant died in her care.

Amanda Harris Hickey, 45, was arrested on Friday and charged with felony murder and cruelty to children. 

According to a press release, Dunwoody police got a call about an unresponsive child on Wednesday. They arrived at the Little Lovey daycare “within minutes.” They began resuscitation efforts on the baby, and he was rushed to a local hospital by paramedics, where he was pronounced dead.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Hickey watched about eight or nine children when she put the boy down for a nap. She is only licensed to care for six children at a time. She told authorities she put the baby down for a nap around 1:45 p.m. and didn’t check on him again until 3:45 p.m., and that he must’ve rolled over onto his stomach. Surveillance footage obtained by investigators refutes Hickey’s account and shows her placing the infant on his stomach.

Investigators said that the video revealed, “other actions which are under investigation.”

Police have not revealed the baby’s identity or his cause of death.

Hickey is being held at Dekalb County jail without bond. Her attorney, Tracy Reeves, told PEOPLE that her client plans to plead not guilty.