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By ANDRIY PAZUNIAK
The Tampa Tribune
TAMPA - A daycare provider accused of shaking a 5-month-old baby into unconsciousness pleaded not guilty to aggravated child abuse Monday.
Rebecca Saunders, 35, was arrested in May after the baby, Kaleb Schwade, was rushed to the hospital for injuries authorities believe were sustained while he was in Saunders’ care.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office reported that Schwade was dropped off at Saunders’ home daycare center May 8 alert and appearing fine. However, when Schwade’s mother came to pick him up, Schwade was lethargic, breathing abnormally and appeared overly sleepy.
Kaleb Schwade
When Schwade did not regain consciousness the next day, his mother, Kristy Schwade, took him to the hospital. Doctors diagnosed Kaleb with bilateral redness, hemorrhaging, and a subdermal hematoma, or bleeding on the brain.
Authorities arrested Saunders May 14 and charged her with aggravated child abuse.
With members of Kaleb’s family looking on, Saunders appeared Monday before Judge Chet A. Tharpe, who set Saunders’ next court date for July 11 and a pre-trial conference Oct. 3. He also ordered Saunders not to have any contact with a child under the age of 18.
A spokesperson for the family said Kaleb is “doing pretty well considering the condition he’s in.”
Kaleb continues to be under heavy anti-seizure medication, but is responding to musical stimuli by turning his head or raising his arm, said the spokesperson Dianne Cueto.
“Doctors are more hopeful then they have been in the past,” Cueto said. “The prognosis is still one day up, one day down.”
Cueto added that Kaleb has been vomiting “a lot lately” and is being fed through a tube in his stomach.
Thousands of people have expressed support for Kaleb via a Myspace page - www.myspace.com/helpkaleb - that has been created for him.
Saunders’ defense attorney said Monday that the case against his client lacks sufficient evidence.
Authorities reported Kaleb’s injuries were sustained between May 8 and May 9, a fact the attorney, Leon Jones, said could help prove Saunders’ innocence.
“We know the child was not in her care and custody for two solid days,” Jones said.
Kristy Schwade maintains a web page at www.myspace.com/kristyreynolds
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