KEY POINTS

  • Mariah Butler pleaded guilty to child neglect for the death of Logan Starling in 2018
  • Her aggravated manslaughter charge has been dropped by prosecutors as part of the plea deal
  • Logan Starling died inside a sweltering SUV after Butler failed to let him out

A Florida woman pleaded guilty to child neglect Monday after leaving her boyfriend's son inside a sweltering SUV.

28-year-old Mariah Butler was first charged with aggravated manslaughter for the death of 4-year-old Logan Starling in 2018. It was, however, dropped by prosecutors as part of the plea deal, said Welsh 2.

Had the manslaughter charge not been lifted, Butler could have faced up to five years in prison, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Courtroom
A mistrial was declared by the judge assigned to the murder case of a Queens jogger after the jury was unable to come up with a verdict for the suspect after a day and half of deliberation. In this photo, a view from behind the witness stand is seen looking toward the gallery in Courtroom #8 at the Superior Court of California courthouse in Santa Maria, California, Jan. 30, 2005. Getty Images/ Spencer Weiner-Pool

On September 28, 2018, Butler drove five children, including Logan, to Elite Preparatory Academy. She briefly left the kids inside the SUV to collect a package from her mother, the outlet added, citing police reports.

She then let the children out, and claimed that Logan was with them. Surveillance video on the other hand showed only four kids.

More than six hours later, Butler rushed to the SUV to check on Logan after “at least two school employees” said that he wasn't around.

With the vehicle locked, Logan never had the chance to get out. He was found unconscious and was pronounced dead when he was rushed to the hospital.

Logan's internal temperature had reached to 108 degrees, authorities told the Orlando Sentinel.

Butler was arrested six months after police initiated an investigation of Logan's death, said Fox News.

Logan's great grandfather, Roy Werner, said that the prosecutors did a “lousy job” and blamed Logan's death on Butler.

“Through no fault of anyone but Mariah Butler's just because she didn't care,” he said.

“I'm the one that has to live without him now for the rest of my life. It's nothing to her,” expressed Logan's mother, Shelby Hester.

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