Oakland woman charged with manslaughter in the death of a 4-month-old infant
Lisa Barney, a 54-year-old woman from Oakland, was arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of a 4-month-old infant last year. Barney ran a licensed family child care facility called Little Angel’s Family Child Care out of her Oakland home, which closed down the day the incident is alleged to have taken place. Parents were notified to come pick up their children, and the facility reopened briefly before Barney agreed to close it again at the request of the state.
Barney’s license as a child care provider had expired, and she was arrested after a yearlong investigation into the infant’s death. The incident leading to the manslaughter charge occurred on August 31, 2023, with the child’s death being ruled a homicide following an autopsy. The cause of death is still pending.
Barney’s child care facility was licensed to care for up to eight children, and officials at the Department of Health and Human Services are finalizing their investigation into the matter. Barney was indicted by a grand jury and bailed out of jail after being initially held on $100,000 bail. Her next court date is scheduled for December 3.
Manslaughter is a Class A charge punishable by up to 30 years in prison. Barney’s residence is listed as the same address as the former child care facility. The child who died in the incident has not been identified by authorities.
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