Aug. 10, 2015
Babysitter Who Left 4 Children Unattended is Sentenced to 3 Years
Newark – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that Sykita Covington, 40, of Newark was sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison by the Honorable Carolyn E. Wright, Judge of the Superior Court, for leaving four children home alone, resulting in the death of four-year-old, Naira Bennett
Covington was babysitting for Bennett, a 2-year-old boy, and taking care of her own two children, ages one year old and three years old, when she left them all alone in an apartment at the Bradley Court housing complex in Newark.
“Though she did not intend to cause the child’s death, she left four innocent children below the age of five without adult supervision, resulting in the death of a four year old,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Kathleen Lyons-Boswick, who handled the case.
While unattended, the four year old became trapped inside a futon, which closed around her head and body, causing the child’s death. The other children were not hurt.
On May 7, 2014, Covington called a taxicab and went to her teenage son’s school so she could sign him back into school after he had been suspended. She did not have custody of the boy at the time. He was living with a guardian and apparently did not want the guardian to know he had gotten into trouble at school.
Under the terms of a plea agreement, Covington pled guilty in April to two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. She was sentenced to three years in New Jersey State Prison.
Covington has been held at the Essex County Correctional Facility since May 7, 2014.
At the time she left the children alone, Covington, who admitted previously having a drug problem, was on five years federal probation for committing bank fraud.
