A South Carolina man has been sentenced to 28 years in prison after he fled from a burning car and left his 19-month-old daughter to die in the blaze in order to escape a police chase.
State troopers tried to stop Imhotep O. Norman, 28, in April 2019 for speeding, a release from Spartanburg County Solicitor's Office said.
Norman then drove over a median and onto Interstate 85 with flames and heavy smoke spewing from his car.
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After troopers forced him to the right lane of the road, Norman jumped out of the burning vehicle and left his daughter, Xena R. Norman, in her car seat, according to the release said.
Norman later told investigators he thought law enforcement officials would rescue her, according to the release.
Norman's daughter died due to acute carbon monoxide poisoning and thermal burns.
Norman told the judge during his first bond hearing in 2019 that he did not know the car was on fire when he got out, according to CNN affiliate WHNS.
"I just know that the car wasn't on fire when I got out the car," Norman said.
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"I would have stayed in that car with my daughter. I would have never got out the car while the car was on fire.
"I seen (sic) sparks coming from under the tyres when I tried to stop and I couldn't stop at that point.
"I don't know why what happened to the car ... I couldn't stop."
Norman pleaded guilty to homicide by child abuse, failure to stop for a blue light and siren, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, trafficking methamphetamine and possession of with intent to distribute amphetamine, possession of oxycodone, and possession of Xanax.
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Norman's lawyer, Randy Chambers, tells CNN his client intended to go to trial, but said that "for whatever reason, he (Norman) had a revelation to take responsibility for what happened."
He said Norman was absolutely "heartbroken by the death of his daughter."
He added that after two years of representing Norman, he got the impression his client was "intelligent, thoughtful" and "a good person who really made a bad choice" when he decided to flee from police.
Mr Chambers indicated to CNN that Norman didn't have any priors before this incident.
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