CRESCO, Iowa – The death of a child at an unlicensed daycare in Howard County is sending a woman to prison for perhaps the rest of her life.

Shirley Weber, 70 of Cresco, was sentenced Monday to up to 50 years behind bars and ordered to pay restitution of $150,000.

A jury found Weber guilty in July of child endangerment resulting in death.

Law enforcement says in June 2022, Weber was providing daycare services without a state license to 10 children at her home. Investigators say Weber put a child in his car seat that day and only buckled the top buckle. Prosecutors say the child then slid down in the seat, getting choked to death by that top buckle.

The guilty verdict was returned after a five-day trial.

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