East Huntingdon man given until July 13 to consider plea deal in baby's 2019 death

A man accused in the 2019 drowning death of a baby in East Huntingdon was given a deadline in court Wednesday: either take a plea deal by July 13 or face a potential life sentence if convicted of first-degree homicide at trial.

“The Commonwealth’s offer will expire on July 13,” said Judge Scott Mears. “If he doesn’t accept that offer, there’ll be no offer.”

Prosecutors offered to let Derrick A. Bass, 32, plead guilty to third-degree homicide in exchange for a sentence of 15 to 30 years in the July 13, 2019, death of 11-month-old Niomie Miller. If he accepts it, the deal would carry a shorter recommended sentence than a plea agreement with prosecutors that Bass previously took in August, but then withdrew in February. That deal called for a 20- to 40-year sentence.

Niomie was found dead under a blanket in a playpen by her mother after she returned home at the Laurel Hill Apartments near Scottdale. Westmoreland County prosecutors said the baby’s mother, Sarah Miller, had been dating Bass for a few days when she left her daughter at home to be cared for by him. He previously listed a Uniontown address but now has a Morgantown, W.Va., address in court records.

Bass was arrested several days later and initially denied any involvement in the child’s death. According to court records, he eventually told police the baby was unresponsive while in his care and that he ran water on her face and back in an attempt to revive her, then left the home with his two children, two televisions and 27 DVDs.

If he does not accept the deal, Bass could go to trial on a first-degree homicide charge, which carries a mandatory life sentence. Assistant public defender Jack Manderino told Mears that Bass’ refusal to accept the offer Wednesday was against his recommendation.

Mears ordered Bass be brought to the courtroom from a holding cell at the Greensburg courthouse after Manderino said Bass didn’t want to participate in the proceeding. Assistant District Attorney Jackie Knupp agreed to give Bass 30 days to consider the prosecution’s offer.

If he doesn’t accept that offer by July 13, “I will not give (Knupp) a hard time because I understand,” Mears said. “Otherwise, the case will go on forever. If there’s new information, that’s a different thing, but I don’t think there’s any new information coming out.”

Three other criminal cases against Bass are pending. One includes allegations that he assaulted a 14-year-old boy in 2018. Prosecutors offered a sentence of two to four years in exchange for a guilty plea in that case. That sentence would run consecutively to the homicide case.