In a disturbing case of negligence, selfishness, and abuse, an Ohio father has been sentenced to 22 years in prison, with a maximum possible term of 27 years and 6 months, for the death of his daughter, Lillyanna. Nicholas Stemen left his 2-year-old inside a burning car and escaped, leading to her death. He then misled authorities by claiming no one was inside the vehicle while she remained strapped in her forward-facing car seat.
According to Law&Crime, the incident happened in September 2024. Stemen later pleaded guilty in October 2025 to aggravated arson, involuntary manslaughter, and child endangerment.
Stemen had consumed dozens of beers and was “driving erratically” when his 2013 GMC Terrain, already missing a tire, veered off the road and caught fire with Lillyanna in the back seat.
When deputies from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office arrived, Stemen was standing in front of the burning SUV. He smelled strongly of alcohol and appeared unstable.
The SUV was completely destroyed as firefighters worked to contain the fire. When firefighters asked if anyone else was inside, Stemen replied, “No one.” When questioned further about children, he claimed his daughter was with her grandfather. Firefighters later discovered Lillyanna’s remains inside the car; her body was unrecognizable. The battalion chief said she knew it was human due to “seeing skin and blood on the thighs,” according to the affidavit.
After his arrest, Stemen told investigators he had consumed “at least 10 alcoholic beverages” and had blacked out, recalling little of the events before the crash. The judge told him he would spend “a lifetime thinking what your daughter could have been doing,” adding, “I feel bad for you. I feel bad for everybody.”
Before sentencing, a letter from Lillyanna’s mother was read in court, The Lima News reported. “My baby girl is gone. And for what? For her father enjoying a night of drinking?” she wrote. “He killed her. He took her from everyone who loved her so much. He should spend his life behind bars.”
Stemen apologized to the court and to Lillyanna’s mother, saying he had no memory of the night and was devastated by the loss. He mourned his daughter and cried as he expressed regret that he would never see her grow up.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or other dangerous substances is illegal across the United States and carries serious penalties depending on the circumstances.
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