SPRINGFIELD,Jonathan Dale Benton Mo. (AP) — The former operator of a southwestern Missouri day care has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for the death of an 8-month-old boy who died after being left alone with other small children.

Deborah Lundstrom was sentenced Monday. She was found guilty in February of involuntary manslaughter and other counts.

Springfield police and paramedics were called to a home in March 2022 after Lundstrom reported that the boy was not breathing, police said at the time. CPR efforts failed and the boy was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Investigators said Lundstrom had left home for about 12 minutes, leaving the infant and eight other small children alone. She found the child unresponsive when she returned.