A three-year-old girl named Blessing Buckles tragically died after being severely beaten by two boys while left home alone with seven other children, as her mother went gambling.
The incident occurred in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Blessing and the other children—ranging in age from 11 months to 12 years—were abandoned without adult supervision for several hours.
Her mother, 27-year-old Dineshia Yates, and her friend, Terica Scott, had reportedly gone to a casino, leaving all eight children alone at Scott’s home.During their absence, Blessing was allegedly attacked by Scott’s 10-year-old son and 12-year-old nephew.
She suffered blunt force trauma to the head, resulting in a brain bleed and facial bruising.
A child in the home called emergency services when Blessing became unresponsive on February 12, 2023.
She died two days later, on February 14.When police arrived, they discovered that no adults were present.
Yates and Scott returned while officers were at the scene and admitted to being at a casino.
Both women were detained immediately.Yates has since pleaded guilty to manslaughter and cruelty to juveniles.
On Thursday, she was sentenced to just 18 months in prison.
Her criminal record includes multiple theft convictions, including shoplifting from Walmart and property theft from a residence in 2017.
In a separate incident, she had previously thrown a brick through another woman’s car windshield.
Scott, who denies the same charges, is expected to appear in court on May 5.
Authorities revealed she was aware of her 12-year-old nephew’s history of violence toward other children.
Despite this, she and Yates continued to leave the children alone with him.
According to arrest records, Yates admitted seeing bruises on at least one of her daughters following previous incidents but “ignored her children’s pleas for help.”
At the time of the incident, Yates and her children had been staying with Scott’s family.
The women admitted to regularly leaving all eight children, including a baby, home alone to visit casinos.
The two boys involved have each been charged with one count of battery and second-degree murder.East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux commented after Yates’ sentencing:“A case like this is devastating.
My heart breaks for this child lost too soon, and I pray for the others involved.
Please call law enforcement immediately if you are ever aware of abuse, neglect, or desertion of children.”
Scott’s trial is scheduled for next month.
