A tragic incident has unfolded on Martha’s Vineyard, where a nanny has been charged with manslaughter after a two-year-old boy died following several hours of being left unattended in her car.
The Heartbreaking Incident
Aimee Cotton, 41, was arrested on March 13 after calling 911 around 1:15 pm to report the toddler, referred to only as JV-1, was unresponsive and “turning blue” inside her vehicle.
Cotton, who was supposed to be looking after the child along with a one-year-old girl, JV-2, allegedly left them in her car for three hours while she stayed in her home.
According to the criminal complaint, Cotton’s car was parked outside while she engaged in various tasks inside.
When the police arrived, they found Cotton performing CPR on the boy in the third-row passenger seat of her 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe.
Despite her efforts and first responders’ immediate assistance, the child was airlifted to a Boston hospital, where he tragically passed away on March 19 from complications related to hypothermia.
The investigation revealed that the boy had been brain dead before his death.
Cotton’s Story Unravels
Initially, Cotton told the police that she thought she had only left the children in the car for about 15 minutes before finding the boy unresponsive.
However, surveillance footage from a Nest camera contradicted her statement.
The footage showed Cotton entering her home without the children and not returning for several hours.
Upon being confronted with this evidence, Cotton confessed that she had left both children in the car alone the entire time while she did various chores around the house, including preparing food, setting up her son’s hockey gear, and attending to personal hygiene.
A Nanny’s Admission and Court Proceedings
Cotton later admitted that she did not provide the children with food or water during the time they were left alone in the car.
In her initial charges, Cotton pleaded guilty to assault and battery on a child with injury by a caregiver, as well as reckless behavior that created a risk of serious bodily injury.
After the toddler’s death, she was officially charged with manslaughter.
In court, Cotton appeared remorseful at times but also attempted to justify her actions, stating that if the temperature had been different, leaving the children in the car might have been more dangerous.
She revealed that this was not the first time she had left children in her car, claiming to have done so at least five times before.
Public Reaction and Legal Consequences
The case has caused an outcry, with District Attorney Leigh Scalice criticizing Cotton’s callous disregard for the child’s safety.
Scalice pointed out Cotton’s inability to admit the severity of her actions and her decision to leave the children in the car for convenience, while engaging in other personal activities.
Cotton was granted a $21,000 bail but under strict conditions.
She is required to wear a GPS monitoring device, abide by a curfew from 6 pm to 6 am, stay away from the child’s family, and is no longer permitted to provide childcare services.
Cotton is scheduled for a probable cause hearing on April 3.
This heartbreaking case highlights the dangers of leaving children unattended, and the devastating consequences that can result from such careless actions.