An Indiana man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for his part in his 2-year-old daughter’s drowning death in 2021.

Jeremy Sweet was found in his truck, submerged in the freezing east fork of the White River, on Thanksgiving Day that year, as CrimeOnline reported. His toddler daughter, Emma Sweet, was later found 2 1/2 miles downstream.

Sweet later admitting to using methamphetamine and marijuana that day, but he provided multiple, conflicting stories about what happened. The Bartholomew County Coroner’s Office ruled the little girl’s death a homicide from drowning.

Sweet was initially charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death and unlawful possession of a syringe, but he was free on bond at the time for unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and possession of methamphetamine

“This is a complete tragic, senseless loss of life,” Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay said on Tuesday, according to WXIN. “It should’ve never happened. There were decisions made that day that this was so preventable.”

According to Law&Crime, Sweet pleaded guilty to one count each of neglect of a dependent resulting in death and a habitual offender enhancement for multiple drug crimes stretching over the years. He was sentenced to 30 years on the neglect charge and 10 years on the drug enhancement, to be served consecutively.

The Republic reported that Sweet cried at his sentencing.

“There’s nothing I can say to change what has happened,” he said. “But I swear to God on everything I love that I’m so sorry.”

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[Featured image: Emma Sweet/Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office]