Wichita baby sitter who left toddler’s body in field pleads guilty

The baby sitter of a 2-year-old child whose body was found last year in a field has pleaded guilty in her criminal case.

Tyerria M. Miles, 26, on Monday pleaded guilty to interfering with law enforcement, said Dan Dillon, spokesman for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

The charge is connected to the death of Jhornee Bland, who died in May 2016 while in the care of Miles.

Jackquailine Hardin, Jhornee’s mother, told law enforcement authorities last year that the first hint that something was wrong came when she called Miles to see how her youngest daughter was doing.

Jhornee had spent the weekend with Miles at a Wichita hotel for a pool party, Hardin said. Two of Jhornee’s older sisters also had spent the weekend with Miles before returning home. But Jhornee was not with them.

The child was found dead the next day in a field in the 1900 block of North Hydraulic. Initially, Miles told police she had left the girl with an acquaintance. But she later admitted that the girl died at the hotel, and she had placed her body in the field.

The coroner was unable to determine how the girl died.

Miles is set for sentencing on June 28 before District Judge Jeff Dewey, according to court records.

The conviction carries a presumptive sentence of seven to 23 months. If Miles has few or no felonies or little other criminal history, she’ll likely be placed on probation.

This story was originally published May 17, 2017 at 8:17 AM with the headline "Wichita baby sitter who left toddler’s body in field pleads guilty."