LIMA, OH – An Ohio man was sentenced Monday to at least 22 years behind bars after admitting to abandoning his 2-year-old daughter inside a burning SUV while saving himself, a tragedy that unfolded on a rural roadway last September.

Nicholas Stemen, 34, pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated arson, involuntary manslaughter, and child endangerment in connection to the death of his daughter, Lillyanna. Court documents detail that Stemen had consumed nearly a dozen beers and was driving erratically before his vehicle went off the road and caught fire.

Authorities said the incident began when Stemen’s 2013 GMC Terrain, already missing a tire, veered off course and came to a stop before igniting in flames. Witnesses called emergency services just after the crash, prompting Allen County deputies and firefighters to rush to the scene. When first responders arrived, Stemen was reportedly found unsteady on his feet, showing clear signs of intoxication.

According to investigators, Stemen told deputies there was no one else in the SUV, despite evidence to the contrary. He further misled authorities by claiming his daughter was with her grandfather when asked about her whereabouts. It was only after firefighters extinguished the flames that Lillyanna’s body, still secured in her forward-facing car seat, was discovered in the scorched interior of the vehicle.

Details from the arrest affidavit indicate Stemen admitted to detectives he had been drinking heavily prior to the fatal crash and had little memory of the events leading up to the fire. The affidavit notes that Stemen consumed at least ten alcoholic drinks in the hours before the tragedy, and that he reported blacking out.

The grief-stricken mother of Lillyanna addressed the court through a letter read at the sentencing hearing, expressing profound loss and anger. She lamented Stemen’s decisions, stating that the young girl was taken from everyone who loved her because of his night of drinking.

During the court proceedings, Stemen spoke briefly, apologizing for his actions and acknowledging the irreparable harm caused by his choices. He stated he had no recollection of leaving his daughter behind or how the events escalated to the fatal outcome.

The presiding judge delivered a stern message, noting that Stemen will now have a lifetime to reflect on what his daughter’s future might have held. The court sentenced Stemen to a prison term of at least 22 years and up to 27 years and six months.

Court records show that the sentencing brings to a close a case that shocked the community and underscored the tragic consequences of impaired driving and neglect.

Stemen was taken into custody immediately following the hearing. The judge told the court he felt sympathy not only for Stemen and his family, but also for the community left mourning the life of a child lost too soon.