Early Release for Woman Convicted in Fatal Indiana Accident

Alyssa Shepherd, the woman convicted in connection with a 2018 accident that killed three siblings and left a fourth child badly injured as they crossed an Indiana road to board their school bus, was released six months early from prison after completing a Bible study course.

Shepherd, now 27, was released from the Rockville Correctional Facility and now has three years of home detention with a GPS ankle bracelet followed by three years of probation, according to WNDU. Prosecutors say her driver's license also is suspended for 10 years after her release.

She was convicted of reckless homicide in 2019 for her role in the pickup truck crash that killed 6-year-old twins, Xzavier and Mason Ingle, and their half sister, Alivia Stahl, 9. Maverik Lowe, the fourth child hit by Shepherd, was seriously injured and endured more than 20 surgeries. She told authorities at the time that she didn't know she was approaching a stopped school bus, although lights flashed and the stop arm was active.

Indiana's time served credit rules would've allowed Shepherd to leave prison in September, but she got out six months earlier because she took a Bible course in prison.

Michael Schwab, grandfather of the three siblings who died, told The South Bend Tribune that "the story never ends for the family."

"Though she was granted early release and allowed to return to her family, there is no early release for our family and the children won't be returning to us," he said.

Indiana legislators passed new safety measures after the accident, including a school bus safety law that increased penalties for violating a stop arm.