A babysitter in Southern California, who provided care for children with special needs for about three years, has been sentenced to life in prison for facilitating sexual abuse carried out by her boyfriend.
Britney May Lyon, aged 31, was accused of assisting her 31-year-old boyfriend, Samuel Cabrera, in the abuse, and at times, participated herself. Two of the victims were seven years old, while the other two were just three.
Two of the victims had autism diagnoses, and one was nonverbal.
Lyon received a 100-year sentence after admitting guilt in May. A statement was released by San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephen.
She also acknowledged charges related to robbery at a home and the sexual assault of multiple victims, according to the statement.
Cabrera, her co-defendant, had previously been sentenced to eight life sentences without the possibility of parole in 2021 after being convicted in 2019.
Lyon was emotional as the judge announced the verdict.
“Today’s sentence wraps up a troubling chapter that has harmed families and tainted innocence in San Diego County,” stated DA Stephen. “The defendant was cruel, posing as a trustworthy babysitter while targeting vulnerable children and committing unspeakable acts against them.”
Lyon has been labeled a “babysitter from hell” by a media outlet, and it was revealed she obtained medications and other items to facilitate the abuse of young girls.
A statement from the district attorney detailed how the couple was apprehended.
The abuse came to light when one of the seven-year-old victims expressed to her mother in 2016 that she didn’t want to be with Lyon, a family friend who occasionally babysat her. The girl shared details about the abuse, leading police to Cabrera. After a brief pursuit, authorities located a car containing a locked box with six hard drives full of videos showing Lyon and Cabrera abusing children, sometimes inflicting extreme cruelty.
Despite their innocent facade, the couple was revealed to be deeply depraved through the investigation.
Police also discovered videos of Lyon secretly capturing women and girls in fitting rooms across various North County retail locations.
“What made her an ideal perpetrator was her seemingly harmless appearance, background, and the way she presented herself to the victims’ parents,” said a representative from a local news outlet. “She looked like the perfect babysitter—someone you could trust.”
Cabrera will face eight life sentences without the option of parole, but Lyon’s plea and sentencing don’t guarantee she’ll remain behind bars for life.
Under California’s parole regulations, Lyon may petition for parole when she reaches 50, potentially allowing her to serve only 28 years in custody.
This case has prompted a proposed new law in California, championed by DA Stephen, which seeks to prohibit convicted sex offenders from applying for parole while serving sentences in prison.
Following the verdict, California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones praised the DA for securing a significant sentence while calling for further legislative reforms.
“It’s time for the state to step up and ensure that this sentence is upheld for the victims,” he stated. “It’s quite concerning that a loophole in California law could let Lyon be released after serving less than a third of her sentence.”
