(Emmetsburg)--A former Emmetsburg daycare provider charged in the 2023 death of a child in her care has changed her plea.
According to court documents filed Tuesday, 31-year-old Hannah Priest has pleaded guilty to one count of child endangerment resulting in death.
Priest was arrested on September 1st, 2023 after an investigation into the death of a 23-month-old child.
On January 19th of that year EMT’s responded to an Emmetsburg residence for a report of an unresponsive child. The child was transported to Palo Alto County Hospital and then to a hospital in Des Moines where he was pronounced dead five days later.
An investigation by the Iowa DCI and Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner revealed that the child died of head trauma consistent with inflicted injuries.
In an interview conducted in May 2023, court documents show Priest admitted to being frustrated with the 23-month-old around nap time because he had not yet gone to the bathroom that day. Priest admitted to putting the child into the cot by his shoulders and may not have known her own strength when doing so. Authorities say she went on to admit that she did set him into the cot out of frustration.
A sentencing hearing for Preist is scheduled for Monday, November 9th at 1:30 p.m. in Palo Alto County District Court.
