Former babysitter sentenced to three years in prison after man she injured when baby died

A former babysitter was sentenced to three years in prison after the man she injured as a toddler died from his injuries 35 years later. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter in court.

Terry McKirchy, 62, was indicted by a grand jury in 2021 on first-degree murder charges in connection with the death of Benjamin Dowling, but she pleaded guilty to a lesser charge after reaching an agreement with prosecutors.

McKirchy was babysitting Dowling on July 3, 1984, when he was just six months old. According to court records, she shook him violently, causing him permanent brain damage. Dowling died from his injuries in 2019 at the age of 35.

In 1985, McKirchy was charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault, a serious crime that is considered a capital offense. Because she was pregnant at the time, she only spent weekends in jail until her child was born. She also served 60 days in jail and then was placed on probation for three years, court records show.

A new lawsuit was filed against McKirchy after Dowling's autopsy revealed that the cause of death was the injuries he sustained in 1984, the Broward County District Attorney's Office said in 2021, after which she was arrested. However, she was later released on $100,000 bail. On May 29, 2024, she was again summoned by the court to return to prison.

Under the terms of the agreement, McKirchy will remain on probation for 10 years after her prison sentence. The court also ordered her to write a letter of apology, as requested by Dowling's parents, describing the events of July 3, 1984.

“I hit Benjamin out of impulse and anger while he and the other children were crying,” she wrote, according to WTVJ. “I have caused great harm to your life and Benjamin's and I am truly sorry.”

“We are glad this day is over, but we will always remember Benjamin,” Rae Dowling, Benjamin's mother, told WTVJ on Wednesday.

“She will have to live with it,” she added.

Due to his serious injuries, Benjamin Dowling had to undergo several operations and was dependent on a feeding tube in his abdominal cavity for the rest of his life.

(With contributions from agencies)