Mother, Daughter Indicted in Daycare Death

A Bloomington mother and daughter were indicted Thursday on charges of manslaughter, child neglect and child endangerment for the death of 22-month-old Demar Hicks at their home daycare last August.

Doris Denis Meeks, 48 and Harmony Shavon Newman, 21, were working at Mama D's daycare, operated out of Meeks' Bloomington home on the 9300 block of 10th Ave S.

On Aug. 28, Bloomington police were called to the daycare, where Demar Hicks was unresponsive. Hicks was found strapped in a car seat inside a playpen, with the center buckle under his chin.

Hicks didn't have a heartbeat and was not breathing. He was taken to Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, where he established a heartbeat, but was not breathing on his own. He was then taken to Minneapolis Children's Hospital, where he died Aug. 30.

The cause of death was listed as “anoxic encephalopathy due to mechanical asphyxia from chest compression due to car seat straps.”

During the investigation, police determined Meeks had left the home to run an errand, leaving Newman to supervise the daycare. No other adults were in the home that day and there were 23 children at the daycare.

The daycare was licensed for a maximum of 14 children, which requires two adults to provide supervision.

Meeks and Newman made their initial appearance in Hennepin County Court on Friday. Meeks' next appearance is set for March 23, and Newman's for March 6.

The Dakota County Attorney's Office is handling the case on a conflict basis, as a relative of Demar Hicks works for the Hennepin County Attorney's Office.