Kelsey Paige Frazier

A Tyler woman has been sentenced to eight years in prison for leaving a child she was babysitting unattended in a bathroom closet for over three hours.

During a virtual sentencing hearing Friday, Judge Jack Skeen of the 241st District Court issued the sentence for Kelsey Paige Frazier, 27, who entered a guilty plea on March 18.

She was charged and convicted of abandoning or endangering a child causing imminent danger of bodily injury. Last week, she entered an open plea of guilty, and faced prison time of up to 20 years.

She was arrested on Oct. 9, 2020 and she’s remained in the Smith County Jail. Frazier will receive 169 days of jail credit.

Through a Smith County Sheriff’s Office’s investigation, officers learned on Oct. 3 last year, Frazier babysat the infant, and about 9:30 a.m., police say she left her garage apartment, but did not take the child with her. The infant was strapped in a baby bouncer in the bathroom of the garage apartment.

At about 12:30 p.m., a family friend came to the residence and heard the dog barking inside the home. The family friend then took the infant to check on it.

On Friday, Skeen called the actions of Frazier “unjustifiable.”

“This case really for me is just really caused me a lot of concern,” he said. “I don’t really understand the motive here.”

He said Frazier left the child, who was under 1 year old at the time, in an unreasonable risk of harm. He added that any reasonable person would have known the child was in danger.

The prosecution in the case requested prison time, while Frazier’s defense attorneys asked for probation.

Skeen said both of the arguments from the lawyers were “well done.”

Last week, Skeen heard testimony from the child’s mother, Alyssa Duffey.

Duffey testified she met Frazier soon after she gave birth to her daughter. Duffey needed a lactation consultant and Frazier was recommended by Duffey’s OBGYN.

Frazier and Duffey grew close to each other as friends, Duffey testified. As it came time for Duffey to return to work, Frazier offered to babysit Duffey’s daughter.

Duffey told the court she found out about her child being left alone on Oct. 3 through a stranger’s Facebook message that same day. In the message, she saw a photo of her child being held by someone who was not Frazier.

The next day, Duffey said Frazier messaged her asking when she could babysit Duffey’s child again.

Frazier claimed people were lying about her and making false accusations, Duffey said.

Duffey said Frazier never once admitted to her that she left her child in the closet alone.

“She’s yet to tell me that she’s even did this thing,” Duffey said. “I still have nightmares and trust issues. It has traumatized me and my family for life.”