Oahu, Hawaii — Dixie Denise Villa, a woman who ran an unlicensed daycare on a Hawaii military base, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for fatally poisoning a 7-month-old infant. The baby, Abigail Lobisch, died from an overdose of diphenhydramine, the active ingredient in Benadryl.
Details of the Case
Villa was convicted of manslaughter in November after a trial in which jurors found her responsible for Abigail’s death. The tragic incident occurred on February 23, 2019, at the Aliamanu Military Reservation, a U.S. military base on the island of Oahu. Authorities reported that Villa had been running the daycare illegally, despite having been shut down multiple times by officials.
Prosecutors said that diphenhydramine, which is commonly used to treat allergies, should never be given to children under 6 without a doctor’s prescription. The level of the drug found in Abigail’s system was far above what would be safe for a child of her age.
The Impact on Abigail’s Family
Anna Lobisch, Abigail’s heartbroken mother, spoke out after the sentencing. She said, “I’ll never hear her call me mama,” expressing the immense pain of losing her daughter.
Lobisch shared her grief with the Military Times, stating, “All that time my heart has never stopped hurting. My life has been defined by grief and loss, and the pain of living without Abi is a heavy weight I will carry every single day for the rest of my life until Abi and I are finally reunited.”
The Sentence and Legal Arguments
The judge, Faaunga To’oto’o, gave Villa the maximum sentence of 20 years after hearing from the prosecution. He described the amount of Benadryl found in Abigail’s blood as unsafe for any minor, especially a baby as young as seven months.
Defense lawyer Megan Kau had asked for a probation sentence, arguing that Villa was not a danger to the public. Kau pointed out that Villa had two children of her own, one of whom had special needs, and said that she could not care for them while in prison.
However, the judge agreed with the prosecution’s request for the maximum penalty. Villa’s two children are reportedly in the custody of her now-former husband, who is an active-duty sailor.
Final Words from the Victim’s Family
Anna Lobisch expressed her pain at the court hearing, sharing that the loss of her daughter has left an unhealable wound in her heart. “I will carry this pain for the rest of my life,” she said, reflecting on the tragedy that has shaped her life since Abigail’s death.