SHE WAS ONLY 6 — LEFT ON A HOT DAYCARE BUS FOR HOURS. NOW THREE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CHARGED

WINTER JONES WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TAKEN TO SCHOOL THAT MORNING — INSTEAD, SHE REMAINED ON THE DAYCARE BUS UNTIL THE AFTERNOON

A six-year-old girl was supposed to begin an ordinary school day.

Instead, Winter Jones remained inside a daycare vehicle for hours in the Tennessee heat — and by the time she was discovered, it was too late.

Now, three people connected to the Memphis daycare where Winter was enrolled have been indicted in connection with her death.

WINTER NEVER MADE IT TO SCHOOL

Winter was dropped off at Kid University daycare in Memphis on the morning of Aug. 13, 2026.

Staff were supposed to transport her to Macon Hall Elementary School.

According to the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, however, Winter remained inside the daycare vehicle after it returned to Kid University.

She was not discovered until approximately 3 p.m. that afternoon.

Emergency crews were called to the daycare, and Winter was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Her father, Bryan Jones, previously said his daughter’s internal body temperature had reached 109 degrees, according to WREG.

THREE DAYCARE WORKERS HAVE NOW BEEN INDICTED

On Sept. 11, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office announced indictments against three people connected to the daycare:

• Tametria Norry, the bus driver
• Sabrina Powe, assistant director of Kid University
• Amilya Hardin, a daycare assistant

All three were indicted on charges including aggravated child neglect, criminally negligent homicide, and destruction of or tampering with governmental records, according to PEOPLE and local news reports.

The charges are allegations, and the defendants are entitled to due process.

INVESTIGATORS FOUND SERIOUS PROCEDURAL FAILURES

Following Winter’s death, the Tennessee Department of Human Services conducted a fatality inspection at Kid University.

Investigators reported that the daycare was noncompliant with several transportation requirements.

Among the findings were failures to complete required vehicle inspections after children were unloaded, inaccurate transportation logs and failures to conduct mandatory walk-throughs to ensure every child had exited the vehicle.

Those findings have now become a major part of the criminal investigation.

HER FAMILY SAYS THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED

Winter’s parents spoke publicly about their daughter for the first time at a press conference on Sept. 10.

Her father described her death as the result of what he called “absolute negligence” by daycare staff.

He spoke about the future he expected to have with his daughter — watching her grow, walk down the aisle one day and eventually become a grandmother.

Those moments are now gone.

Winter’s mother, Nakia Cloman, recalled receiving the devastating phone call from the daycare.

She was told that Winter had been left on the bus and was barely breathing.

When Cloman arrived at the hospital, she said her daughter was already gone.

WINTER WAS AUTISTIC AND COULD NOT EASILY COMMUNICATE HER DISTRESS

Winter’s family and their attorneys emphasized another heartbreaking detail.

Winter was autistic and, according to the family’s attorney, was unable to communicate when she needed help.

Her family said the people responsible for transporting and caring for her had been trusted to keep her safe.

That trust, they said, was broken.

THE DAYCARE HAS SINCE CLOSED

Kid University permanently closed following the incident.

The facility’s owner, Dr. Raven Marshall-Lewis, surrendered its license after Winter’s death, according to WMC.

Winter’s family is also pursuing the matter in civil court, according to their attorneys.

But for her parents, no legal action can change the fact that their six-year-old daughter will not be coming home.

“I DON’T WANT ANOTHER CHILD TO BECOME A HEADLINE”

Winter’s mother has made clear that her family does not want another parent to experience the same nightmare.

Her message is now larger than one case.

It is a demand for accountability — and for changes that could prevent another child from being forgotten inside a vehicle.

Winter was six years old.

She was supposed to get off that bus.

She never did.

Now, three people face criminal charges as her family continues to seek justice and answers.