Nearly four years after the death of two-year-old Savannah Cross, one of the two people allegedly responsible for her death has accepted a plea deal.
Ryan Reed accepted the plea deal last week and officially plead guilty to second degree murder and child abuse among other charges. As long as the judge signs the deal on August 30, Reed will be sentenced on October 21. The victim's family says he is most likely to get at least 24 years without parole in prison as part of the deal.
Court documents show Reed and Allison Clement, who was also arrested in connection with the girl's death, were operating an unlicensed daycare through Craigslist and would watch the girl for several days at a time.
Cross was reportedly in their care at the time of her death and was killed by several traumatic injuries, acute methamphetamine and diphenhydramine exposure as well as dehydration according to the Medical Examiner’s Office.
The report notes that Reed admitted to kicking Savannah in the stomach as she lay on her side and put his whole body weight on the child on December 10, 2012.
The next morning one of the caregivers brought the girl out of her bedroom and she was moaning but otherwise unresponsive.
Savannah was taken to the bathroom where cold water was sprayed on her face from a shower nozzle. She reportedly then vomited and then stopped breathing. Sleeping pills near Savannah's playpen and two other unidentified pills were also unaccounted for.
CPR was performed and Savannah was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
Clement was reportedly a witness to this and other abuse to Cross that led to her death but did nothing to try to stop it.
Clement also has until August 30 to accept a plea deal, but has reportedly not decided whether or not she will accept it. Details of that plea deal have not been released.
A fund has been sent up by the family of Cross, to try to help family members make it to Phoenix to see the court hearings. You can donate to that fund by clicking HERE.
