Hawaii Babysitter Sentenced 20 Years Manslaughter Infant Overdose

Dixie Denise Villa, a former babysitter who operated an unlicensed daycare on the Aliamanu Military Reservation in Hawaii, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 2019 manslaughter of 7-month-old Abigail Lobisch. Villa was found guilty of giving the infant a fatal overdose of diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benadryl, with medical evidence showing the baby's blood contained levels nearly twice the average reported in fatal infant overdoses. Despite Villa's request for probation and a new trial—claiming withheld evidence and perjury by the child's mother—the judge denied both, citing the clear facts and the need for accountability and deterrence. Abigail's mother delivered an emotional statement at sentencing, emphasizing her ongoing grief and the lasting impact of her daughter's death. Prosecutors highlighted Villa's prior offenses and argued that a strong sentence was necessary to protect the public and serve as a warning to others. Villa, who did not speak at her sentencing, plans to appeal the conviction.