Monday, June 30, 2008

Teen Babysitter Charged in Death of Nine-year-old Boy (Canada)
A teenager from Little Grand Rapids First Nation has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of a nine-year-old boy, RCMP said Monday. The 16 year old male had been babysitting the boy who was found dead in his cousin's basement Friday night on the reserve, say community members.

Babysitter Arrested After Child Found with Burns (LA)
A local babysitter was arrested Monday for allegedly abusing a 1-year-old boy while he was in her care Saturday. Latonya Ismail, 23 of Lafayette, faces charges of cruelty to juveniles after the child was taken to a hospital by his mother Sunday afternoon with burns on his bottom area and feet. The Lafayette Police Department was notified of the incident by the hospital where the baby was receiving care around 8 p.m. Sunday, according to a news release.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Of note:
Column: Can your child stay home alone? It's a judgment call - Wausau Daily Herald, WI

Rob Lowe Employees Offer Up Lots of Nanny Dirt - E! Online

The Business of Child Stealing in Florida - Nolan Chart LLC, VA

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Baby Sitter Rescues 2-Year-Old, 5-Year-Old (Colorado)
A family that lost its home in the large Castle West Apartment fire in Colorado Springs in January 2007 has been burned out of its home again. Lacey and Joe Stahl were living in a home on Monteagle Street in Colorado Springs until it caught on fire Wednesday. According to the Colorado Springs Gazette, a baby sitter rushed the couple's 2-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter out of the house after flames engulfed the back porch.

Father Loses Custody of 3 Children for Boinking the 16 Year Old Babysitter (PA)
After a Smithfield father was allowed supervised visitation with his three children last week, both sides in a federal lawsuit asked to postpone a Wednesday hearing scheduled to address custody issues. The father, identified as John Doe in a suit filed last week in Pittsburgh, sued Fayette County Children and Youth Services and agency director David Madison. In the suit, filed by attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union, Doe claimed that the agency had no right to remove his children - ages 5, 6 and 8 - from him in 2006. The agency did so after a report that the man, now 29, was having sex with a 16-year-old who sometimes was the children's babysitter.

Babysitter's Boyfriend Gets Triple Life Sentence for Killing 8 year old (RI)
Joshua Davis, the Woonsocket man who raped and killed 8-year-old Savannah Smith in 2006, will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole. That was the murder sentence handed down Wednesday by Providence County Superior Court Judge Gilbert V. Indeglia, who also sentenced Davis to life imprisonment for first-degree child molestation and life imprisonment for kidnapping, with all three sentences to be served consecutively.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Babysitter Found Guilty on Five Counts of Sexual Abuse (NY)
- Courtroom outburst marks closing arguments in 'Babysitter' trial
- Testimony in 'Babysitter' trial ends
- Testimony begins in 'Babysitter' trial
- Babysitter takes stand in his own Huntley Hearing
- Babysitter accused of sexual abuse tries to fire his public defender



Five Year Old Beaten by Babysitter Benefits from Courthouse Therapy Dog

These days, life is carefree for 5-year-old Lexi Lohr. But last year, something terrible happened to her. Therapy dogs can help relax crime victims before they take the stand to testify.
"Mr. Chad. He did something bad … He was going to smack me," she recalled.
Mr. Chad is Chad Wiles, Lexi's former babysitter. He was accused of beating her.
To build a case, prosecutors needed Lexi to testify — a scary proposition for any victim of abuse, let alone a young child....

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

(England)

A FORMER Scout leader missing from home since New Year's Eve has appeared before Swansea magistrates to face allegations of more than two dozen child sex offences. Stuart Harris was last seen leaving his Clase home in the early hours of January 1, but this was no ordinary missing person case, the court was told. He had travelled to the US and, using a false name, had got work as a male nanny. Yesterday he appeared before city magistrates to face a string of charges including possessing indecent photos and sexual touching.

Lisa Rawlinson wept as she recalled hiring nanny accused of killing her baby. She had spoken to her by phone and the nanny seemed to have a ton of experience. But later, Miss Rowlinson became concerned about the way the nanny was treating her son. She said: “She seemed very distant. There was no eye contact.” (!!!) Hear the accused nanny's 999 call here.

Missing Covington Baby Found Safe In Westwood (Ohio)
An undercover Cincinnati police officer spotted the infant and her babysitter, Britney Bumgardner, around 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon at the Kroger store on Harrison and McHenry in Westwood. 9News was the only station there as the 18-year-old suspect placed the baby inside a car seat in the back of a Cincinnati police cruiser. She was then arrested on an outstanding warrant and taken in for questioning for the report of the missing baby.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Grandfather Charged in Toddler's Heat Death (Pennsylvania)
In a case the prosecutor called "gross negligence," a Lansdowne man was charged yesterday with involuntary manslaughter in his grandson's death after he forgot the baby in his SUV during sweltering heat earlier this month. Edward M. Kanterman, 59, of Sayers Avenue, forgot to drop off his grandson at day care June 10 and instead drove to work, leaving 14-month-old Nicholas McCorkle in the back seat. He was strapped in a car seat for more than five hours as temperatures reached the mid-90s that day. By the time Kanterman returned, Nicholas, who was drenched in sweat, was blue and struggling to breathe, according to a police affidavit. His temperature was 107.2 degrees.

Police Blotter (Montana)
3:24 p.m. A 62-year-old woman locked the two children she was babysitting out of the house after she caught them cheating at a game they were playing. Deputies responded after she called to report the cheating and they counseled the woman, parents and children.

Other:
"The family had been in the process of building a fence around the pool but the materials hadn't arrived yet."

“You read about paedophiles and it is shocking but then you actually know one and realise how close you were to him, how close your children were to him. I just can't bring myself to think about it."

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Babysitter Who Droppped Toddler from Window To Face Five Years
A Springfield teenager accused of dropping a toddler from a second-story window in September admitted the offense Friday. Rebecca A. Woods, 19, could now receive a five-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to the class C felony of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child in Greene County Circuit Court.

Babysitter Charged with Cruelty -Video (Louisiana)
A 3-year-old in Baton Rouge is being treated for a beating and burns, and the babysitter, 21-year-old Brandi Branch, has been charged with cruelty.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Babysitter Shot in St. Petersburg
Police are looking for the suspects of a shooting that happened Friday morning on 20th St. South in St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg Police tell us Kenya K. Evans was babysitting a relative's child when he answered a knock at the door. When Evans opened the door one, possibly two men attempted to enter the house, one person was armed. According to police, there was a struggle that ensued and Evans was shot in the upper body.

Experts Under Fire in Second Trial of Nanny (California)
Placer County prosecutors used a different tack in the second trial for a nanny accused of violently shaking a 16-month-old Roseville baby, allegedly causing fatal brain injuries.
Prosecutors went after the defense's expert witnesses whose testimony played a major role in causing a jury to deadlock in the first trial last year. The fate of Veronica Martinez Salcedo, 36, accused of assault causing the death of Hannah Rose Juceam, is now in the hands of a second jury, which began deliberations Thursday morning.

From the Brooklyn Paper police blogger (New York)
A no-good nanny stole an Apple computer, a digital camera, a shirt and a check from a South Third Street woman. The victim says that the nanny snatched the goods from the apartment, which is between Berry Street and Bedford Avenue, between April 1 and June 13.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Fayetteville Mother Faces Charge of Child Abuse
A Fayetteville woman was charged with child abuse after a babysitter noticed bruises on the child she was tending. Angelita Alcazar, 23, of 5810 Glenpine Drive, allegedly hit her two-year-old with her hand and belt sometime between June 14 and 15.
This babysitter? Who is she? How incredibly awesome that she got involved and stood up for this child. Way to go anonymous North Carolina sitter!

Actor Scores Minor Victory in Battle with Former Nanny (California)
Actor Rob Lowe has scored a minor victory in his battle with a former nanny - two of her twelve allegations have been dismissed by a court. Accusations of labor code violations were thrown out by Santa Barbara, California, Superior Court Judge Denise de Bellefeuille on Thursday - but 10 further charges, including sexual harassment claims, remain.

Family Accused of 'Modern Day Slavery' (Georgia)
Three Georgia Family Members Stand Accused of 'Human Trafficking' Indian Nanny
A former judge, his deputy sheriff son and his son's wife were indicted by a federal grand jury this week, accused of keeping an Indian woman shuttered in the couple's basement and forced to work 16-hour days without pay. Former judge and two relatives are accused of holding a nanny against her will. D. William Garrett, 72, a lawyer and former Fulton County, Ga., magistrate judge; his 43-year-old son; Russell Garrett; a deputy with the Forsyth County Sherriff's Office, and daughter-in-law Malika Garrett, 42, face a nine-count indictment on charges that include human trafficking, alien harboring, witness tampering and making false statements.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Police: Dad Lied About Finding Babysitter on Craigslist

The father of a little girl found wandering alone in Glendale is now under arrest.The 2 year-old girl, found on Sunday night, is still in CPS custody and will remain there for a while. That's because the father of Haley Englehart has been arrested and charged with child abuse.Police say Shane Englehart told them he hired a babysitter off of craigslist.com and that when he came home Sunday night neither the babysitter or little Haley was anywhere to be found. After interviewing Englehart further, they determined he made the story up.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Police: Babysitter Left Two-Year-Old Alone (Arizona)
Residents at a Glendale apartment complex say they don't know what kind of babysitter would leave a little girl all alone. But that's what police say happened on Father's Day.
Two year old Haley Englehart was found wondering near an apartment building at 63rd Avenue and Northern. The man who found her says Haley said she was scared and reached out to hold his hand. The father, Shane Englehart, told police he just got a new job and had to work an afternoon shift. His usual babysitter couldn't help, so he turned to the classified website craigslist.org. He only had her phone number and first name, Samantha. Englehart paid the woman $40 up front and did not ask for references. Police say the babysitter could have left the apartment immediately after Englehart went to work.

4-Year-Old Wanders Off (Indiana)
A 4-year-old boy is back home after wandering off early Sunday morning. A couple said they brought the 4-year-old boy inside and tried to find out his name and where he lived. When Kreider arrived at the residence, he encountered a 17-year-old girl who stated she was the boy's babysitter. The babysitter said she and the child fell asleep on the couch, and after getting up several times during the night, with the child, she slept until she was awaken by the child's uncle.

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Authorities Identify Drowned Girl, 6 (Florida)
Authorities identified a 6-year-old girl who died Friday night after her teenage babysitter found her floating face down in a swimming pool as Kayla Sheppard. Sheppard, of 947 Lake Terry Drive, was unconscious when her 16-year-old cousin, who was babysitting her and three other children, pulled her out of the clubhouse pool around 5:38 p.m. at the Villas at Emerald Dunes community west of Florida's Turnpike, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Monroeville Toddler Falls From Fourth-Floor Window (Pennsylvania)
A 2-year-old was injured when he fell out of a fourth-floor window.
When emergency responders arrived, the child was found lying face-up approximately 40 feet below the open window. A window screen was underneath the young boy, and the window blinds were next to him in an evergreen tree. Monroeville Police reported that the child was in the care of an adult baby sitter at the time of the incident.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Another babysitter deals with a home invasion (Texas)
Four children and their babysitter are unharmed after staring down the barrels of several firearms. According to LPD, three suspects armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun kicked in the door of a home in southeast Lubbock around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday night.The suspects demanded money, while holding the children and babysitter at gunpoint. The intruders smashed the phone, nabbed a safe from the residence and fled.

Would your babysitter know what to do? Would you?
Here are some tips from Childcare Gone Wrong.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Former Daycare Worker Charged with Child Molestation Again (Florida)
HUDSON – For the second time in less than a week, a former daycare center worker is charged with molesting a young boy. Deputies say 29-year-old Brian Lane of New Port Richey was arrested on Monday for allegedly molesting a 10-year-old boy. They say the victim claims that during the time period from January to March 2008, Lane touched him inappropriately at least 10 times.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Boy Bitten By Babysitter's Dog (Florida)
CLAY COUNTY, FL -- A six year old boy from Orange Park is recovering in the hospital after getting bit by the babysitter's dog. Nyesuah Barclay is at Wolfson Children's Hospital with a serious wound to his face. The Clay County Sheriff's Office says the boy was playing with a dog toy when the dog bit him on his face. The injury isn't life threatening. The dog, a young Boxer, belonged to the 16 year old babysitter who immediately called the boy's parents. They took him to the hospital.

One of my uncles is a plastic surgeon. Many of his cases involve children bitten by dogs, often family pets with no history of harmful behavior. Some of these injuries are quite severe, requiring extensive reconstruction. Parents and pet owners should exercise caution whenever young children are around dogs, even friendly ones. Dog bite injuries can be devastating.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Babysitter Nabbed on Kidnapping Charges (New Hampshire)
A babysitter was arrested on kidnapping and child endangerment charges after she admitted trying to subcontract child care without the mother's knowledge, police reported Friday. Jessica Provencal, 21, of Pelham, was arrested Thursday, charged with 26 counts of kidnapping, 26 counts of child endangerment and a felony theft charge, police reported.

Anyone remember that we had a report/sighting concerning a nanny doing this very thing. Who knew this was something we should have to be on the lookout for? On at least 26 occasions, Jessica Provencal pretended to be the baby's mother when she dropped the baby off at various day-care providers in the area instead of caring for it herself, police said.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

We don't usually cover stories outside of the US, but this was just too strange not to include:
A mother of two attacked a babysitter after she saw mobile phone footage of the teenager harming a pet rabbit, a court heard yesterday. Lorriane Longstaff, 20, returned home on April 10 after going out for an hour-and-ahalf, and saw that her rabbit was limping. Other people in the house had filmed the attack on their mobile phones, and when Longstaff saw the footage she assaulted the 14-year-old girl. (UK)

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Australian Police Investigate After Baby Girl Locked Inside Closed Day Care (Sydney)
Australian authorities are investigating how a baby girl was left alone inside a locked day care center after it closed for the day. A Sydney father, identified by the Sydney Morning Herald only as Bharat, said that when he went to pick up his one-year-old daughter Ankita from the Scribbles and Giggles day care center in Rydalmere in western Sydney at 6:04 p.m. on May 26, he found the doors and windows locked and the lights switched off. Bharat and his wife Gayatri called police and the center's owner was tracked down. "He arrived about 6:50 p.m. My wife was crying. We went into the center and switched on the lights" Bharat told the Herald. "We opened one door and there was no one inside. Then we noticed the door to the next room and there she was, lying in the dark."

Baby Death Under Investigation (Illinois)
WMBD/WYZZ – BLOOMINGTON - Bloomington Police and DCFS are investigating the death of an infant. Fire crews were called to a private daycare on May 16th. When they arrived they found 2 month old Brooklyn Andres without a pulse. She died within an hour at Bromenn's ER. The autopsy showed no signs of abuse or infection. The preliminary findings say Brooklyn died from suffocating face down on an adult waterbed. A coroner's inquest has been set for July 10th. The death is still under investigation.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Babysitter Drops Children Off at Water Park, 1 Drowns (Oklahoma)
A patron at Splash Zone pulled Tanyjah Kerrion Hall, 7, out of less than 4 feet of water just before 6 p.m. Thursday. The man notified lifeguards and began CPR on the child, who was taken to Integris Bass Baptist Health Center before being flown to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, where she died early Friday

Mom’s Letter in Baby-Shaking Case Triggers Mistrial Motion (California)
The attorney for a nanny accused of shaking a Roseville baby and causing fatal brain injuries has asked a Placer County judge to declare a mistrial. Mary Beth Acton, lawyer for Veronica Martinez Salcedo, said in a written motion to the court Monday that a political letter written by the baby's mother was in a congressional candidate's campaign mailer and that it has essentially convicted her client before the trial has been completed.

Boy, 13 Has Sex With Kids, 5 and 6 at Babysitter's House (Wisconsin)
A 13-year-old Howards Grove boy sexually assaulted a 5-year-old boy and has been sexually abusing a 6-year-old girl for months, Sheboygan County authorities say. The teen was arrested Thursday after allegedly pulling the boy into a locked basement room and sexually assaulting him, said Capt. Dave Adams of the Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Department. The alleged sexual assaults of the girl were discovered during the ensuing investigation, he said.

Babysitter Charged With Injuring Infant (Texas)

A 19-year-old has been arrested in connection with injuring an infant he was babysitting last week, a spokesman with the Burnet County Sheriff said this morning. Riley Pearson has been charged with injuring a child, a first-degree felony, Captain Dwight Hardin with the Criminal Investigations Division of the sheriff’s office said this morning.