Shelby County, Tenn. — A Shelby County Grand Jury has indicted three employees of Kid University in connection with the August death of 6-year-old Winter Jones, who authorities say was left inside a daycare transportation van.

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office submitted the case for grand jury review, which resulted in a true bill returned Friday.

Tametria Norry, identified as the van’s driver; Sabrina Powe, an assistant director at Kid University; and Amilya Hardin, a daycare assistant, each face charges of aggravated child neglect, criminally negligent homicide, and destruction of and tampering with governmental records.

According to the information provided by the District Attorney’s Office, Winter was dropped off at Kid University on the morning of August 13. She was expected to be transported from the daycare to Macon Hall Elementary School.

Instead, Winter allegedly remained in the daycare vehicle after it returned to Kid University. She was later discovered unresponsive inside the van that afternoon.

State Inspection Found Transportation Issues

Winter’s death prompted a fatality inspection by the Tennessee Department of Human Services, which found Kid University was not in compliance with several state transportation requirements.

Among the reported findings, inspectors determined that required vehicle inspection procedures were not completed after children were unloaded from the vehicle. The transportation log was also not accurately completed, according to the inspection findings.

Inspectors further reported that required walk-throughs of the vehicle — intended to confirm that every child had exited — were not conducted.

Those procedures are designed to prevent children from being overlooked or left behind in daycare transportation vehicles, particularly during school drop-offs and returns to a childcare facility.

Charges Carry Serious Allegations

The indictments bring several serious criminal allegations against the three employees.

Aggravated child neglect generally involves allegations that a caregiver’s neglect created a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death to a child. Criminally negligent homicide alleges that a death resulted from criminal negligence. The records-related charges concern allegations involving governmental documentation connected to the matter.

A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation and is not a finding of guilt. Norry, Powe and Hardin are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

A Tragedy for Winter’s Family and Community

The death of Winter Jones has drawn attention to the importance of consistent transportation safety procedures at childcare centers, including accurate passenger logs, post-trip vehicle checks, and physical walk-throughs by staff members.

For Winter’s family, loved ones and the larger Shelby County community, the criminal case represents the next legal step following a tragedy that authorities say should have been prevented through required safety measures.

The cases against the three defendants will now move through the Shelby County court system.