An Ohio father has been sentenced to decades in prison for leaving his 2-year-old daughter to die inside a burning vehicle while saving himself and initially telling authorities that “no one” was inside.

Deadly 2024 Fire

According to court records, 34-year-old Nicholas Stemen received a sentence Monday of 22 to 27½ years for the September 2024 death of his daughter, Lillyanna. He previously pleaded guilty to aggravated arson, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment.

SUV Engulfed in Flames

Investigators said Stemen had been drinking heavily—consuming at least 10 beers—and driving erratically in a 2013 GMC Terrain missing a tire. After leaving the roadway, the SUV ignited and became “fully engulfed in flames” when deputies arrived.

First responders noted Stemen smelled strongly of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet. When asked who else was in the vehicle, he told them “no one.” He also said his daughter was with her grandfather.

A firefighter checking the burned SUV discovered a small body in a forward-facing car seat, confirming Lillyanna was inside when the fire erupted.

Stemen’s Statement to Detectives

Stemen later told detectives he had blacked out and could not recall the details of the incident. It remains unclear where he was driving that night.

Emotional Sentencing Hearing

At the sentencing, a letter from Lillyanna’s mother was read in court, expressing grief and anger: “My baby girl is gone. And for what? For her father enjoying a night of drinking? He killed her.”

Stemen apologized, saying he lives with the weight of what his actions caused: “I won’t get to see my little girl grow up, and that hits me to my core.”

The judge told Stemen that his punishment included “a lifetime of thinking what your daughter could have been doing.”

Case Conclusion

The case, which drew statewide attention, underscores the devastating consequences of impaired driving and the severe legal penalties tied to child endangerment resulting in death.

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