Brittany Napier: Babysitter sentenced after she places mattress over playpen results in toddler's death

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

DUBAR, WEST VIRGINIA: A 32-year-old babysitter from West Virginia has been sentenced to spend several years in prison for causing the death of a 2-year-old boy in July 2023.

Before sentencing, in February, Brittany Napier admitted in court that she was guilty of not taking care of a child properly, which resulted in Za’khi’s death as Law&Crime, reported.

Napier also confessed during her court appearance that she had made a bad decision by putting a mattress on top of a playpen, which caused Za’khi to suffocate and die.

What happened in the courtroom?

Kanawha County Circuit Court Judge Kenneth D Ballard issued the maximum sentence of two to six years in a state correctional facility for Brittany Napier in connection with the 2023 death of Za’khi Williams.

Apart from her time in detention, Napier is mandated to undergo 50 years of extended supervision following her release. 

Additionally, she is prohibited from having any contact with her children. In an emotional address to the court in Charleston, West Virginia, Napier stressed that she never intended to harm Za’khi. 

Tearfully, she expressed deep remorse, stating, "I made a horrible mistake. I will never forgive myself. I’m truly so sorry to the family and everybody who loved Za’khi so dearly. I had no intention of causing any harm to sweet baby Za’khi. If I could trade places with him, I would in a heartbeat."

Za'khi's mother urges for maximum possible sentence to be given to Brittany Napier

Za’khi’s mother, Caleigh Cheeks, also spoke before the court, urging for the maximum possible sentence for Napier. She lamented the loss of her son and the devastation it brought to her family. 

Judge Ballard, describing the situation as "tragic," emphasized that there was no excuse for Napier's actions. 

He asserted that her egregious act led to the death of an innocent child under her care and stated that the maximum sentence was necessary. 

"Your egregious act caused an innocent child who was in your care to die, and I don’t think there’s any way to repair that," the judge remarked.

Dunbar Police Department found the victim Za’khi

On July 11, 2023, officers from the Dunbar Police Department received a 911 call around 6 pm., about a 2-year-old who wasn't breathing at a home on Parkway Drive in Dunbar, West Virginia. 

Upon reaching the location, first responders found the victim, later identified as Za’khi. He was quickly taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital, but unfortunately, he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. 

Investigators mentioned that Napier had been staying at the Parkway Drive residence for a few days and was frequently looking after the child.