4-month-old baby murdered at Delaware daycare, worker admits to killing the child

A daycare worker in Delaware murdered a 4-month-old baby and now faces up to life in prison. 

The Delaware Attorney General announced on April 14 that Dejoynay Ferguson pleaded guilty to first-degree murder by abuse, six counts of first-degree child abuse and two counts of second-degree child abuse.

She will be sentenced at a later date and faces between 27 years and life in prison.

In July 2020, Ferguson was indicted on several counts related to the baby’s death and injuries to other children, according to Delaware State Police. 

On Sept. 5, 2019, emergency personnel responded to the Little People Child Development Center for an unresponsive 4-year-old girl, according to state police. The baby was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. 

Ferguson was to care for the victim and put her hand over the baby’s nose and mouth until she became unresponsive, according to police. Ferguson then put the baby back in a crib. 

After 20 minutes, Ferguson told the daycare center’s owner that the baby was unresponsive. The staff then called 911. 

After she was first indicted, police identified four additional victims between 1-month-old and 15-months-old. The child abuse charges are related to their treatment, officials said.