The tragic demise of a baby boy in Oregon is attributed by his sorrowful mother to a challenging day.
Amanda Nichols, the mother of 10-month-old Owen Nichols, shed tears while speaking to the defendant, Hayley Steele, during a sentencing on Monday morning.
“Seventy-five months isn’t nearly enough to pay for killing our son, Owen. I left work that day trusting you to take care of my son,” said Amanda. “You took an innocent baby’s life because you were having a bad day.”
A judge handed down a 75-month prison sentence to Steele after she pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in a agreement with the state on Friday.
The plea deal was made in an attempt to circumvent a trial, with DA Paul Frasier noting that the parents wished to avoid reliving the tragic events surrounding Owen.
Owen passed away on Nov. 16, 2022, succumbing to abusive head trauma inflicted by Steele, who had been hired as his in-home babysitter, as per the DA’s Office.
A subsequent autopsy officially classified Owen’s death as a homicide.
Frasier disclosed that Steele confessed to the police that she was having a difficult day leading up to the incidents that resulted in Owen’s tragic demise.
In a statement to the victims, Steele wrote, “Joe and Mandy, I know whatever I say is not going to make up for losing your precious little boy, but I wish with all my heart that I could go back and change everything about that day.”
In an attempt to bring closure, Amanda Nichols and Joseph agreed to a plea agreement for Steele.
“I think their decision to settle was courageous and allowing them to navigate with some finality their grief and their loss and their pain with a newborn on the way. It also creates an opportunity for the community. We’ve been navigating grief and loss right along with them,” Coquille Mayor Sam Flaherty stated.
Steele’s legal team described Owen’s demise as a profoundly tragic accident.
Manslaughter in the second degree, the charge for which Steele was found guilty, is considered a lesser offense compared to manslaughter in the first degree.
Given that it falls under Measure 11 offenses, this charge mandates a minimum sentence of 75 months. Following her sentencing, Steele is required to undergo 36 months of post-prison supervision.
