A callous babysitter found through the healthcare site Care.com abused a baby so severely that the child developed cerebral palsy, authorities said.
Amber Rath, 37, who had been caring for the seven-month-old boy three days a week since September, was caught on camera at the family’s Washington home in October shaking and throwing the boy until he stopped moving, according to reports prosecutors.
She was charged with first-degree assault on a child, second-degree assault on a child and child abuse, according to Snohomish County arrest records.
The boy’s heartbroken family told investigators that until they viewed the footage, Rath had communicated with them daily about how happy and easy to care for the baby was.
On Oct. 16, she told the family that the child had become cranky and was “more clingy” than usual, records show.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Hartnell wrote in the complaint that Rath also described the child as a “fuss bucket” because he wouldn’t sleep while she bounced him with her foot.
“As time went on, it was clear that the defendant was becoming increasingly frustrated,” Hartnell added.
The charging documents stated that when Rath viewed the footage, she had the boy in her lap and “repeatedly hit him against her legs.”
Amber Rath, 37, was captured on camera at the family’s Washington home in October shaking and throwing the boy until he stopped moving
All caregivers on Care.com are background checked through the company’s “CareCheck process before communicating with families,” according to the company’s website.
The next day, Rath was seen on video holding the child under his armpits and throwing him onto the couch with “sufficient force that a loud thud was heard as he collided with the couch.”
The little toddler stopped crying and became unresponsive and limp.
Rath responded by calling 911 and saying the child was having trouble breathing and staying awake, according to the documents.
“He woke up screaming after 30 minutes, so I went to pick him up and put him on the couch for a little bit, went to get his bottle, and when I came back and picked him up he was limp and not really breathing. she said.
“He doesn’t really stay awake, so I really need someone here.”
According to court papers, Rath also reported that she was unsure if the child was choking on something. When emergency services arrived, the boy suffered a seizure. Rath told them that nothing untoward had happened and denied any incident under her watch.
After an examination at Seattle Children’s Hospital, the child, who had no previous medical problems, was found to have had seizures, brain bleeds “too numerous to count” and swelling in the brain.
Prosecutors said doctors determined his injuries were the result of “abusive head trauma.”
“The defendant is seen repeatedly expressing his frustration towards the child. Shaking, throwing and handling him in a manner that is shocking and completely inappropriate,” prosecutor Hartnell wrote.
According to Snohomish County arrest records, Rath has been charged with first-degree assault on a child, second-degree assault on a child and child abuse.
He was also diagnosed with cerebral palsy “due to the injury to his brain that caused problems with the function of his right limbs.”
Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that can develop due to abnormalities or damage to the developing brain before, during or after birth, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
According to Snohomish County arrest records, Rath has been charged with first-degree assault on a child, second-degree assault on a child and child abuse.
“The defendant is seen repeatedly expressing his frustration towards the child. Shaking, throwing and handling him in a manner that is shocking and completely inappropriate,” Hartnell wrote.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by this disturbing incident, and our thoughts are with the affected family,” a spokesperson for the Care.com company told DailyMail.com.
All caregivers on Care.com are background checked through the company’s “CareCheck process before communicating with families,” according to the company’s website.
‘We are concerned about the safety of our members. All caregivers on Care.com are required to complete an annual background check before ever contacting families.
“This individual has approved our security protocols for the past five years and has had no previously reported incidents on our platform during this time. Because this is an open investigation, we cannot comment further on it and we stand ready to assist law enforcement,” the spokesperson added.
Hartnell added: “The defendant deliberately harmed a child entrusted to her trust and care by responding to the child’s crying beyond what was normal. The defendant clearly has no control over her impulse to react violently to frustration and as such is a danger to the community.”
Rath was booked into the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and is being held on a $500,000 bond.