OMAHA, NE – A former Nebraska daycare worker has been convicted in the death of a one-year-old girl he left in a van for over five hours on a sweltering day. Ryan Williams, aged 62, was found guilty of felony negligent child abuse resulting in death, according to reports.
On August 21, 2023, Williams failed to remove Ra’Miyah Worthington from the vehicle due to being distracted by a four-year-old who wouldn’t exit the van. The outdoor temperature that day rose to nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Williams returned to the daycare at 2:30 p.m. A deep, pained scream can be heard in footage captured by a doorbell camera when he found the young girl.
Ra’Miyah was discovered face down on the vehicle’s backseat floor, unbuckled from her car seat by her brother. Despite being rushed to the hospital, she was ultimately declared dead. Williams is set to face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced in July.
Douglas County District Court Judge Peter Bataillon, delivering the verdict, pointed out that while Williams is not “a horrible or bad person,” he made a terrible mistake that day, resulting in tragedy. Reacting to the verdict, the victim’s father, Rianna Worthington, expressed shock and satisfaction.