Babysitter, 27, Accused of Slapping a 7-Month-Old Baby Across the Face, Causing a Brain Bleed By Charlotte Phillipp

An Indiana babysitter is accused of slapping a 7-month-old baby boy across the face “as hard as you would slap an adult.”

According to the Fort Wayne Police Department and court records obtained by local outlet WPTA, officers were called to a local Indiana hospital on Dec. 11 after being contacted by the Department of Children’s Services about an infant who had sustained “serious injuries.”

The baby boy’s parents told investigators that they had left him in the care of 27-year-old Emily Duran at around 6:50 a.m. local time that day. When they arrived home just after 5 p.m., the parents claimed that Duran left quickly, and one parent noticed bruising on the baby’s face, per the court documents obtained by WPTA.

Duran later texted one of the parents and said the victim had fallen, court documents state.

The boy’s parents then called Duran and recorded their conversation with her. Authorities said she allegedly claimed that the baby fell off a bench while they were at a park, per WPTA.

Police reviewed photos of the 7-month-old, according to the court documents, and officers said he had “deep purple bruising” on both sides of his face from his jaw to his hairline.

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One trauma surgeon at the hospital told police the child had a brain bleed, and another doctor said the baby’s injuries were “inflicted” and “non-accidental.”

“There is no explanation other than child abuse,” the doctor told police, per WPTA.   

Police interviewed Duran on Dec. 19. During the interview, she allegedly admitted to slapping the baby across the face, then backhanding him across the other side of his face, WPTA reported, citing court records.

Duran allegedly admitted that she “slapped him as hard as you would slap an adult.” She was arrested the same day and taken to the Allen County Jail. 

Court records show that she has been charged with felony neglect of a dependent resulting in serious bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury to a person under 14 years old. She is next set to appear in court on Jan. 12.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.