BLANCO COUNTY, TX – A Texas woman will serve a lengthy prison sentence following the death of her infant daughter, authorities disclosed this week.
Danielle Ivy Dechert, 27, pleaded guilty on Aug. 30 to charges of injury to a child and recklessly causing their death, according to the Texas Attorney General’s Office. The sentencing, handed down by Blanco County 33rd District Judge J. Allan Garrett, mandates Dechert spend 40 years in state prison.
The tragic event prompting Dechert’s conviction transpired earlier this August. Within the rural confines of Blanco County, approximately 50 miles west of Austin, the incident culminated in the death of a five-month-old girl.
According to court documents, Dechert had ingested an illegal substance while sharing a bed with her daughter, a practice known as co-sleeping. During the night, Dechert rolled over onto the infant, leading to the baby’s suffocation. The American Academy of Pediatrics has strongly advised parents against co-sleeping with infants due to the high risk of accidental death.
What followed compounded the tragedy: upon discovering her daughter’s lifeless body, Dechert neglected to seek immediate medical attention. The Texas Attorney General’s Office revealed that more than eight hours had passed since she had attempted to provide any form of emergency aid.
The investigation into the case was spearheaded by the Texas Rangers, with Austin-based prosecutors handling the legal proceedings. Blanco County’s limited law enforcement resources necessitated this out-of-county support.
Dechert’s sentence was further influenced by a prior conviction from 2014, where she evaded arrest in a motor vehicle while endangering a child. Though typically a misdemeanor, her previous offense was elevated to a felony.
In addition to her current sentence, Dechert faces another legal battle in Gillespie County, located near the historic town of Fredericksburg. She is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, with a status hearing scheduled for Nov. 14.
Dechert will be transferred to the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, where she will serve her sentence.
