Iowa Woman Sees 100-Year Sentence in Child Death

Rochelle Sapp
(Orange City, Iowa) A 34-year-old local day care provider, Rochelle Sapp, has been convicted of causing head injuries that killed a 3-year-old girl at her in-home day care.

Sapp was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment resulting in the death of 3-year-old Autumn Elgersma.

Sapp told the court that she dropped the toddler to the ground.

She also entered an Alford plea to child endangerment with multiple acts, meaning she did not admit guilt to that charge but conceded there was enough evidence to convict her of injuring the girl three other times over the prior eight months.

Sapp was slapped with an indeterminate sentence of up to 100 years in prison per the plea agreement. There is no mandatory minimum.

The Iowa Board of Parole will decide when to release Sapp.