Day Care Owner Gets 21 Years For Drugging Kids To Go Tanning And Do CrossFit

There are times when it is totally acceptable to make excuses for not working out. For example, when you are running a daycare. One daycare owner from Bend, Oregon put her responsibilities aside to tan and do CrossFit and now she’ll be working out behind bars. 

January Neatherlin, 32, was sentenced to 21 years and four months on Friday after pleading guilty to 11 counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment and a count of third-degree assault, according to Oregon Live. She was accused of leaving children in her care alone at her illegally-run childcare operation while she ran errands. To boot, she was accused of giving the young children melatonin so they would be subdued while she was at the tanning salon. The kids ranged in age from just 6 months to 4 years old, according to Portland publication KOIN.

In court, Neatherlin apologized to the parents, acknowledging that she failed them, CBS News reported. She also said she failed as a parent and neglected to take care of her own children.

About a dozen parents also talked in court, and most asked the judge for the harshest sentence possible. One family said their daughter suffered a brain injury as a result. Others said their children suffered sleeping problems. One father called Neatherlin a monster who has no respect for human life.

“She repeatedly administered a sleeping agent to a room full of infants, toddlers and children and drove off in her car the fulfill her narcissistic needs,” he said.

Neatherlin also allegedly lied to parents about being a registered nurse, according to Oregon Live. Neatherlin, who also goes January Irene Livsey, was arrested last March after police received an anonymous tip about her work ethic.

[Photo: Deschutes County Adult Jail]