A Baltimore daycare worker has been charged with murder after police say surveillance video shows her abusing an 8 month old girl who later died.
According to CBS Baltimore and other local reports, officers were called to the Rocket Tiers Learning Center for a baby who was not breathing. Paramedics were performing CPR on the infant, Reese, when police arrived. She died shortly after reaching the hospital.
Police say the worker, 23 year old Leah, first told officials she had fed the baby, swaddled her and put her down for a nap. Investigators say the center’s surveillance video showed something different. Authorities described the footage as disturbing and said it shows Leah covering Reese with excessive blankets, pulling her out of the crib by one arm and placing pillows over her face. Police said they can only assume what happened when Leah stepped out of camera view.
“Watching that video is disturbing,” an officer said. Police also said that in their opinion the baby was tortured.
Leah was arrested on Thursday. Police say she faces charges including first and second degree murder, first and second degree assault, reckless endangerment and second degree child abuse. The charges are allegations, and she had not been convicted at the time.
The learning center said in an email to parents that it did not appear there had been any wrongdoing on the part of the center itself, and it offered condolences to the family. It said it would close for the time being so staff could receive grief counseling and so the police investigation would not be disrupted.
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