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By MIKE WELLS
The Tampa Tribune
TAMPA Investigators say it’s another case of shaken baby syndrome, and the accused says she’s a scapegoat.
A 5-month old boy hasn’t regained consciousness in a week, and Hillsborough County deputies have arrested the day care worker accused of hurting him, sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter said on Tuesday.
Rebecca Lois Saunders, 35, of 15911 Country Brook St., faces one count of aggravated child abuse.
On the morning of May 8, the child’s mother left him at Saunders’ home day care center, Carter said. The baby was alert and appeared fine.
When she returned that afternoon, the baby was lethargic, breathing abnormally and appeared overly sleepy, Carter said. The mother assumed he was tired, but he never regained consciousness.
Becoming worried, the baby’s parents rushed him to University Community Hospital’s emergency room, and he was flown to Tampa General Hospital, Carter said.
Doctors diagnosed the child with bilateral redness, hemorrhaging, and a subdermal hematoma, or bleeding on the brain, Carter said.
The injuries were reported May 9, Carter said. A warrant was filed and Saunders was arrested Tuesday at her home.
On Tuesday, defense attorney Leon Jones said the Tampa woman was stunned by the accusations.
My client “knew there was something medically wrong with the child,” Jones said. “She brought it to the mother’s attention and was told it would be looked into. We don’t know what happened, but what we do know is that my client did nothing wrong.”
The child’s family was a new client, and over the separate three days she’d cared for him, Saunders noticed his breathing was “not quite right,” Jones said.
“The mother told her that a doctor said it might be a bit of asthma, and my client said, ‘OK, if you’re sure,’” he said. “But the baby was cranky, as well, and wouldn’t stop crying. She just knew something wasn’t right.”
Saunders remained at Orient Road Jail late Tuesday with bail set at $5,000.
Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 657-4534 or mwells@tampatrib.com.
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