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Daycare owners who violate the parameters of their license and it results in a death would face stiff penalties, under legislation in Lansing.
Second degree child abuse would be the charge for violators in this two bill package.
A first offense would be punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a second offense is up to 20 years.
Sponsors say they were prompted to introduce the bills after hearing what happened to the Fales family in Grand Rapids.
Mary Fales says her three-month-old son, Cooper, died at a state license daycare.
She says the daycare provider was caring for more children than her license allowed.
Fales believes her son suffocated when the caregiver let him sleep in his car seat with the car seat cover on.
The caregiver lost her daycare license, but was not charged with a crime because the cause of Cooper’s death could not be determined.
Fales says the bills will hold daycares accountable for violating their license.
The bills are in a Senate committee.
