The mother of a 10-month-old baby who died after being left in a hot car has entered a no contest plea to a charge of negligent homicide.
Hannah Faith Cormier, 32, entered the plea to the charge she was indicted for, a release from the Jeff Davis Parish District Attorney's Office states.
Jennings Police had booked Cormier with second-degree murder after her daughter died in August 2024. Prosecutors, however, indicted her in October on a charge of negligent homicide.
Under Louisiana law, negligent homicide is defined as the killing of a human being by criminal negligence. Cormier is scheduled to be sentenced by the Honorable Judge Steve Gunnell on January 21, 2026, the release states. She faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison, up to 10 years, and fines of up to $5,000.
Back in August, Jennings Police said they were called to a hospital about a baby whose mother said had been in a car for about 90 minutes. Hospital staff tried to obtain a pulse when she was brought in. They said the mother told them she had been called in to work and had accidentally left the child in the car while she was inside her place of employment. The baby died the following night.
"The death of a child is a tragedy that affects our entire community. While this case involves difficult circumstances, our office has a responsibility to seek justice for this infant who cannot speak for herself. We will continue to do our job and protect the most vulnerable members of our community," said District Attorney Lauren Heinen.
This case was investigated by Officers Richard Easley, Dustin Broussard, and Richard Geiger with Jennings Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Torrie Thibodeaux.
