Blair Springfield sentenced to 10 months in HOC, 3 years' probation after child found alone in tow lot

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee County judge sentenced Blair Springfield on Tuesday, April 30 to 10 months in the House of Correction plus three years' probation in connection with an OWI incident in which her 4-year-old daughter was later found alone in a van at the city tow lot.

Springfield pleaded guilty in March to two OWI charges, as well as two counts of neglecting a child.

Here's the breakdown on the sentence to the charges on Tuesday:

Six other charges that Springfield faced were dismissed but read into the court record as part of a plea deal in March.

The incident involving Springfield happened on Nov. 12, 2018.

Springfield was taken into custody near 39th and Forest Home, after prosecutors said she passed out behind the wheel of a minivan. Springfield was interviewed by investigators, and prosecutors said she admitted she was driving the van on Nov. 12. She also admitted to drinking vodka before that.

Her adult passenger and baby were removed from the vehicle, but the 4-year-old was left in the back seat. Prosecutors said the child was not mentioned by her mother and also missed by officers. The 4-year-old was found in the van in the city tow lot the next morning. The 4-year-old told investigators "she was left in the van by herself." She said her mom left her in the van, and it was dark. She said her "mom's driving was crazy in the van" and she was asleep in the vehicle, and when she woke up, she was crying for her mom.

The tow truck driver spoke with FOX6 News and said he "felt really bad" after learning the 4-year-old girl had been left in the van overnight. The National Weather Service reported temperatures at Mitchell International Airport were around 25 degrees around midnight -- with a wind chill of 14 degrees. The temperature dropped to as low as 19 degrees with a wind chill of five degrees around 7 a.m. When the girl was found, the temperature had edged up to 22 degrees with a wind chill of nine degrees.

The incident happened just weeks after prosecutors said Springfield passed out in a McDonald's drive-thru with children and bottles of vodka in the car. She had to be revived with Narcan. The criminal complaint said a blood test revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .243.

Springfield must report to the House of Correction on May 7.