More than seven months after losing her 7-month-old son, an East Canton mother says a five-year prison sentence for the woman responsible for his death does little to ease the pain her family continues to endure.
Melanie DiMarzio, 46, was sentenced Tuesday, Oct. 27, in Stark County Common Pleas Court after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and endangering children in connection with the death of Grant Simmons.
In an exclusive interview with Jordan Miller News following the sentencing, Grant’s mother, Melissa “Missy” Williams, said her family is still struggling to process what happened.
“Not really,” Williams said when asked whether the sentence brought any sense of relief or closure. “With this being all new and just the last seven and a half months, you know, living it, we’re just still trying to take it all in.”
Grant died March 10 while in DiMarzio’s care at an unlicensed home-based child care business she operated with her husband, Alexander, on South Market Street in East Canton.
The infant suffocated after being placed on a bed rather than in a crib.
DiMarzio entered guilty pleas to two third-degree felony charges as part of an agreement with prosecutors. A first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter charge, which carried a potential prison sentence of up to 11 years, was dismissed.
Stark County Common Pleas Judge Chryssa Hartnett imposed a five-year prison sentence and ordered DiMarzio to report to the Stark County Jail on Nov. 9.
For Williams, the punishment does not reflect the magnitude of what her family has lost.
“It’s definitely not long enough,” Williams told JMN. “She knew better. She’s been doing this 18 plus years, and she was doing everything wrong.”
Williams said she had trusted DiMarzio to care for her son and was devastated to learn additional details about the circumstances surrounding his death.
She said DiMarzio had previously assured her that a crib was available for Grant to sleep in. Williams later learned that the child had instead been placed on a bed.
Williams also raised concerns about the number of children DiMarzio was caring for and the level of supervision they received. She alleged that DiMarzio sometimes cared for more than 10 children a day, charged $50 per child and failed to provide adequate attention to those in her care.
The child’s death also led to a civil case filed by East Canton officials over the operation of the daycare.
Court documents outlined concerns about supervision, sleeping arrangements and the absence of emergency safety procedures at the home.
The complaint also alleged that DiMarzio did not use monitoring equipment to supervise children in different areas of the residence and was unable to identify the last name of one of the six children present on the day Grant died.
The civil matter was later resolved, and the DiMarzios sold the property and closed the child care operation.
Despite the criminal case reaching a resolution, Williams said no prison sentence could adequately account for her son’s death.
“There is no amount of time that’s good enough,” she said.
Beyond the legal proceedings, Williams described the lasting emotional toll on her family, particularly Grant’s older brothers.
The family has been forced to navigate milestones they once expected to celebrate together, including what would have been Grant’s first birthday.
“We went from planning his future, you know, doing things outside with him, to having to plan his funeral, to celebrating his first birthday at his grave site instead of him being here with us,” Williams said.
She remembered Grant as a happy baby whose smile made an impression on everyone around him.
“He was a blessing we didn’t know we needed,” Williams said. “He just brought life. I was once in my life genuinely happy, and we’ll never be the same. I’m not the same person.”
Williams also hopes her family’s experience serves as a warning to other parents who rely on child care providers.
She encouraged families to ask questions, inspect sleeping arrangements and verify safety qualifications rather than relying solely on a caregiver’s assurances, even when that caregiver is someone they know personally.
“Don’t just trust anybody. Your friends, family, nobody,” Williams said. “If they tell you they have a crib, make them show proof. If they tell you that they have a certification in CPR, make them show you the proof. Do your due diligence.”
Williams also expressed gratitude to the East Canton Police Department and Stark County Child Protective Services for their work throughout the investigation.
She specifically recognized East Canton Police Chief Hartlaub and Sgt. Crouch for their dedication to the case and the compassion they showed her family.
“They are amazing, and they were very compassionate,” Williams said.
Williams also credited East Canton police with taking immediate action when DiMarzio allegedly attempted to reopen her child care business on the day of Grant’s funeral.
DiMarzio will be subject to one to three years of post-release control after serving her prison sentence.
For Williams and her family, the court proceedings may be coming to an end, but the loss of Grant remains a daily reality.
