A Davenport, Iowa, woman who operated a licensed day care in the same home where her boyfriend ran a meth lab was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison Thursday.
Amanda Taylor, a 34-year-old mother of four, pleaded guilty to four felony counts related to the operation of the clandestine drug lab, which was discovered by police in late December 2012.
Her boyfriend, Dale Sammie Blumer, received a 25-year suspended sentence and was released on probation last month after he pleaded to four felonies, including the manufacture of methamphetamine, according to the Quad-City Times.
Although she has no prior criminal record, Scott County Circuit Judge Gary McKenrick told the court that he would not consider probation for Taylor because she "ignored the safety of children whose parents entrusted [her] with their safety."
At the sentencing, Taylor was confronted by Fawn Waack, the tearful mother of a boy who had tested positive for meth at a level three times higher than Taylor herself, WQAD notes.
"The worst thing of all is because of your irresponsibility, I have no idea what is in store for [my son]. The doctors know little about the long-term effects,” Waack addressed Taylor at the sentencing, explaining that her son still suffered from headaches and that he has trouble sleeping at night.
Taylor offered an apology, but the judge did not show leniency in sentencing, telling the court that he did not feel the woman fully grasped the breach of trust that she had committed. Thirteen children are thought to have been exposed to meth at various times at the daycare.
According to police affidavits outlined in a separate Quad-City Times report, Taylor said that she had provided Blumer with pseudoephedrine pills and other meth-making materials and had attempted to hide and throw away the drugs and ingredients used to make them when police searched their home.
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