BABYSITTER ALLEGEDLY BIT A CHILD IN HER CARE AND CAUSED INTERNAL INJURIES IN THE BRAIN
A babysitter McKinley Slone Hernandez has been accused of biting a two-year-old child in her care which gave him internal injuries that affected the brain. The authorities have alleged that the babysitter committed child abuse on Giovanni the night he was with her leading to severe internal injuries, as per People. Hernandez on the other hand denies the charge and claims that she had only been drinking on the said night.
The incident took place on September 1, when Giovanni was staying overnight with Hernandez, even though his mother Stefanie Reichert wasn't planning on leaving Giovanni with her. As reported by KDVR, Hernandez was a friend of the family who regularly provided babysitting services to their children and insisted that Reichert leave the boy with her. She had formed a special bond with the victim and wanted him to stay with her as she recuperated from a medical procedure. "I'm just in pain and he's just being a cuddle bug watching TV with me," she allegedly texted the boy's mother on Aug. 30, 2023.
Having known Hernandez for a long time, Reichert respected her wishes and left him for an overnight stay on September 1. But in the middle of the night, Hernandez texted her that Giovanni was in a critical condition. “I received a text message from the suspect saying I needed to rush to St. Anthony’s Hospital because my son had gone lifeless after a bath,” said Reichert. “Once I saw him and all the 50 doctors standing around him, I had to leave the room because it was the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”
A hospital employee told the detectives about Hernandez telling the staff that she brought Giovanni in after seeing changes in him. She stated that he "appeared lifeless and stopped breathing," after she bathed him. But, doctors found that the child had suffered a subdural hematoma, and also had bruising on his head; a slap mark on his right hip, a bite mark on his right elbow, and signs of hemorrhaging on his collarbone, cheek, and nose. The injuries seemed to be caused by non-accidental trauma in the doctor's opinion. He further shared with parents that even if the son recuperates from the injuries the quality of life will be severely hampered. "He's doing better every day," says Anthony, Giovanni's father. "But there is a long road ahead."
The GoFundMe page gave an update about his condition- "The swelling to his brain has required removal of part of his skill to reduce pressure. He will remain intubated and sedated while his brain recovers. At this time, doctors are unsure what his recovery will look like." Ring camera footage also shows the boy falling out of a camper after he was seemingly pushed out by someone. Hernandez has also been caught carrying him back inside the home and biting him while doing so. The boy's injuries were so serious that Hernandez's boyfriend allegedly said, "Dude, he's dead," after which they took Giovanni to hospital. Hernandez has been arrested and she has entered a not-guilty plea to child abuse charges.