Parents plead guilty in death of child, 3
RUSSELLVILLE — The parents of 3-year-old Bentley Fowler, who died in 2020 after being left in a hot car for more than 15 hours, have both pled guilty to manslaughter charges.
Rather than going to trial, which was slated to begin last week, Brandi Burks, 27, and Dakota Fowler, 25, pleaded guilty to their respective charges on April 13, according to court documents.
As a result of the plea agreement, both Burks and Fowler will serve six-year prison sentences.
A sentencing hearing is set for Oct. 26, during which Judge Glen Thompson, who was specially appointed to oversee the case, will decide whether Burks and Fowler will immediately serve those six years, or if the sentence will be suspended.
Bentley Fowler was found inside a vehicle on Church Street in Hodges on Aug. 9, 2020, and was pronounced dead at approximately 4 p.m.
Investigators estimated Fowler was left in the car late at night on Aug. 8 before he was found in the mid-afternoon on Aug. 9.
Burks and Fowler were indicted by a Franklin County grand jury on manslaughter charges on Aug. 13, 2020, and both were held on a $50,000 bond.
Both parents were also tested for drugs and alcohol use at the time Bentley was discovered, but both tested negative.
In a statement, Franklin County District Attorney Jeff Barksdale claimed if the case had gone to trial, the evidence “would have shown” Burks and Fowler “forgot” to remove their son from the vehicle, resulting in his death.
Barksdale’s statement also claims prosecutors believed defense attorneys would have attempted to suggest Bentley had been brought inside his home but was capable of opening doors and reaching the vehicle himself.
The evidence, Barksdale suggests in his statement, would not have supported the theory.
“This was a difficult and heartbreaking case,” Barksdale’s statement reads. “Given the defendants’ pretrial acceptance of consequences for their conduct, we believe this resolution holds them accountable and brings this case to an appropriate conclusion.
