PORTALES, N.M. — The Supreme Court of New Mexico on Thursday reversed the reckless child abuse convictions against Sandi and Mary Taylor, the Portales daycare workers who were accused of leaving two young children in a hot car for several hours, killing one and severely injuring another.

The mother-daughter duo was found guilty of child abuse resulting in injury and child abuse resulting in death and sentenced to 36 years in prison. The state’s supreme court explained in a ruling the elements of the jury instructions would have “confused or misdirected a reasonable juror.”

“The district court gave the jury confusing and misleading instructions that failed to ‘provide members of the jury with a clear and correct understanding of what it is they are to decide,’” the ruling stated. The ruling determined double jeopardy would not be an issue with the reversal and new trial.

Authorities were called to the Taylors Tots daycare in July of 2017. One of the children, Maliyah Jones, not quite two yet, passed away. It was revealed in court Maliya’s temperature reached 109 degrees at the time of her death. The other child, then 2-year-old, Aubrianna Loya was sent to Lubbock in critical condition at the time. During the first trial, officers testified the Taylors initially lied to the toddlers’ parents about how long the kids were really in the car.

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The initial appeal for the Taylor’s convictions was filed in 2019. The appeal argued that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the Taylors intentionally harmed the children in their care. That appeal went on to argue there were errors in how the trial was conducted.

A date was not yet scheduled for a new trial. Read the most recent ruling from the Supreme Court of New Mexico here.