A local babysitter has pleaded guilty to endangering one of the children in her care.
Julie M. McCreight, 35, of 690 Milford Ave., Apt. 20B, Marysville, pleaded guilty this week to one count of endangering children.
McCreight was hired by a local family to care for a 9-month-old baby while the child’s parents were at work. The woman had known the family for years
On Aug. 31, McCreight called the parents to report something was wrong with the infant. She said the boy had been a little fussy, but went down for a nap. She told the parents the baby boy had fallen while standing in his crib and may have gotten his leg caught between the spindles.
The parents came home and took the baby to a local urgent care facility.
“At the recommendation of the pediatrician, they took the child to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus,” Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips said.
The child had a broken leg and injuries to his pelvis. Phillips said doctors at the childrens’ hospital had to determine if the injuries were the result of an accident, abuse or a medical condition that caused them naturally.
“The injuries were alleged to be consistent with an inflicted injury,” said Phillips.
He said hospital officials are mandatory reporters of abuse and contacted law enforcement.
The prosecutor said that as police began to investigate, McCreight’s story changed.
Police conducted a lie-detector test on the woman and she admitted, “she caused the injuries” to the child. She said she heard and felt the child’s leg break.
McCreight admitted that she was frustrated and pulled the child from a sitting toy. She said there was resistance, but she kept pulling and she heard a crack. She said she moved the leg and “could feel a grinding as the leg was moved.”
“McCreight said she did not tell detectives she heard the popping sound and she did not tell the detectives she felt the bone crunch when she touched his leg,” according to court documents. “Julie M. McCreight said she did not say those things because it did not sound good.”
She said she was worried about what would happen to her children if she admitted causing the injury.
Phillips said that while McCreight was not a certified day care provider, baby sitters, “have a duty to care for that child.”
The prosecutor said McCreight has no criminal history or anything in her past that, “should have raised any red flags for the parents.”
Initially McCreight was charged with abusing the child. That charge, however was dropped and she pleaded guilty to failing to care for the child and that failure resulted in the baby’s injury.
McCreight was scheduled to go to trial this week, but agreed to plead guilty to the charge in exchange for prosecutors dropping the other charge.
As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to recommend a five-year community control sentence. If convicted, McCreight could have faced as many as five years in prison.
In addition, prosecutors have recommended McCreight serve 30 days in the Tri-County Regional Jail, starting later this month. She is prohibited from contact with the victim or his family. The woman has also agreed to perform 200 hours of community service.
According to court documents, if McCreight violates the terms of the agreement or of the proposed community control sanctions, she will be sentenced to 30 months in prison.