A San Diego babysitter, Brittney Mae Lyon, received a sentence of 100 years to life in prison for sexually abusing young girls and delivering them to her boyfriend, Samuel Cabrera, who molested and filmed them.
The crimes targeted victims aged three to seven, some with special needs like autism, and came to light after one child reported the abuse in 2016.
Lyon, 31, advertised babysitting services online, focusing on special needs children, to gain parents’ trust. Cabrera, also 31, recorded the assaults, often using drugs on victims and multiple cameras.
The abuse began after the pair met in high school. Cabrera first convinced Lyon to secretly film women in changing rooms, then escalated to bringing children to his home for molestation.
Abuse Uncovered
In 2016, a seven-year-old girl told her mother she no longer wanted to see Lyon, a family friend and babysitter. The child described the abuse, prompting the mother to contact police.
Carlsbad police investigated and arrested both Lyon and Cabrera. A search of Cabrera’s car revealed a locked box with hard drives containing hundreds of abuse videos.
Prosecutors noted some videos showed drugged victims. The footage included unknown children, leading authorities to identify more families who hired Lyon.
Parents met Lyon via a babysitting site where she highlighted her interest in special needs kids. One mother recognized Lyon from news reports and learned her three-year-old daughter was a victim.
Another victim was a seven-year-old autistic girl who couldn’t speak or care for herself.
Trials and Sentencing
Cabrera faced trial in 2019 on 35 felonies, including child molestation, kidnapping, and conspiracy. A jury convicted him in two hours, sentencing him to eight life terms without parole plus 300 years.
Lyon’s case delayed due to COVID closures and attorney changes. She pleaded guilty in May to lewd acts on children, forcible lewd acts, kidnapping, burglary, and multiple victim assaults.
At Thursday’s sentencing in Vista Courthouse, Lyon’s attorney read her statement. “For nine years, I’ve thought about what I would say today. I’ve come to the conclusion that there are no words that would make any of the harm and trauma I’ve caused any better,” it said.
“The words ‘I’m sorry’ are far too simple for the amount of trauma I’ve caused and the amount of regret that I feel.”
Victims’ parents addressed the court. One mother said Lyon used her child development studies to build trust, turning outings into “molestation sessions.”
Parole Concerns
Cabrera has no parole eligibility. Lyon could qualify after serving one-third of her sentence.
Parents criticized potential early release. “It’s a slap in the face to drag us through this field of broken glass for 10 years only to give Brittney a break,” one mother stated.
A California law allows “elder parole” hearings at age 50 after 20 years served. Efforts to exclude sex offenders from this have stalled.
District Attorney Summer Stephan opposed it for child molesters. “The age of 50 is hardly ‘elderly,’ particularly in the realm of child molesters, who need only be in a position of trust and power to access and sexually abuse children,” she said.
