What began as an ordinary morning at a home day care ended in silence, sirens, and the loss of two very young lives.

Shahin Gheblehshenas, 67, has been found guilty on three felony counts of child endangerment after two toddlers drowned in a backyard pool at an unlicensed day care in San Jose. A Santa Clara County jury deliberated for just two hours before returning the verdict, capping a three-week trial that laid out a chain of decisions prosecutors described as catastrophic negligence.

The victims, 18-month-old Peyton Cobb and 16-month-old Lillian Hanan, died after gaining access to the pool while left unsupervised. A third child survived.

According to prosecutors, the tragedy unfolded in October 2023 at a home operated by Gheblehshenas and her daughter, Nina Fathizadeh, 43, who had already pleaded guilty earlier this year to child endangerment charges.

That morning, Gheblehshenas left the home for an appointment, despite knowing the day care was short-staffed. Authorities said she also knew the pool gate had a history of being left unsecured — yet she did not check it before leaving or ask anyone else to do so.

With another worker absent, Fathizadeh was left alone to supervise multiple toddlers.

At some point, she opened a sliding glass door and directed the children into the backyard. From her position, she could see that the pool gate had been propped open by a drying rack. Still, prosecutors said, she did nothing to secure it.

Instead, she walked into the kitchen to prepare tea and oatmeal — leaving the children outside and out of sight for at least five minutes.

When she returned, the worst had already happened.

One child was found floating in the shallow end. As she attempted CPR and called for help, her brother — awakened from another room — rushed outside and discovered two more toddlers in the deep end of the pool.

All three children were pulled from the water and rushed to hospitals in critical condition. Peyton Cobb and Lillian Hanan did not survive.

Investigators later confirmed that the pool’s safety gate had been left open, allowing the children direct access to the water. Prosecutors argued that both Gheblehshenas and Fathizadeh failed in their most basic duty — ensuring a safe environment for the children in their care.

“These defendants had the ultimate responsibility to care for these little ones and they criminally failed,” Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said following the verdict.

The case also exposed broader concerns about the day care’s operation, including supervision lapses and safety issues. Prosecutors noted that Gheblehshenas chose not to return home even after realizing her appointment was unnecessary — leaving an already understaffed situation unchanged.

Fathizadeh faces additional legal trouble beyond the drowning deaths. Prosecutors say she could receive up to nine extra years in prison for a separate incident involving reckless driving while transporting seven unsecured toddlers on a day care outing.

Both women are scheduled to be sentenced on May 22 and each faces more than a decade behind bars.