Safe Haven Daycare in Indianapolis, Ind. (Google Maps).
An Indiana daycare owner is accused of delivering a blow to a 10-month-old’s head so severe that doctors had to remove part of the baby’s skull.
Lawanda Hardnett-Rados, 50, is facing charges of child neglect with serious bodily injury and battery with serious bodily injury, court records say. The incident occurred at Safe Haven Daycare, which is on the 3300 block of North Kenwood Avenue in Indianapolis.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, 911 was called on March 13 after the boy became unresponsive at the in-home daycare. He was rushed to the hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to relieve swelling and remove portions of his skull, the affidavit stated.
Doctors placed him in a medically induced coma. Cops believe Hardnett-Rados slammed the baby or shook him violently.
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The boy’s mother reportedly told investigators she dropped her son off at the daycare around 5 a.m. When she returned 12 hours later, one of the other children said her son was not breathing. She rushed into the home and saw the suspect conducting CPR. The mom explained the boy had no previous medical issues and he was fine when she dropped him off.
Cops say an employee watches a handful of babies and toddlers at the 24/7 daycare while Hardnett-Rados is at her main job. Hardnett-Rados takes over caring for the kids when she gets home around 5 p.m.
The employee told cops she watched the victim on the day in question and he seemed fine, although he was a little sleepy. The employee also said the suspect advised her to get an attorney, to which she responded that she didn’t need one because she hadn’t done anything wrong.
Hardnett-Rados said after the employee left, she knew that the boy’s mom was going to be picking him up soon so she put him in a playpen to get him ready to go.
“She described him as whiny and crying, but not his normal cry,” cops wrote. “She just said his cry was more of a whiny cry.”
Hardnett-Rados said the boy began shivering. She picked him up and he went limp, the affidavit said. He was not responding to her. She had someone call 911.
Doctors believed the injuries were inflicted after the employee left, making Hardnett-Rados responsible, cops wrote.
Detectives spoke with some of the older kids at the daycare who provided critical information. One child recalled Hardnett-Rados talking with her daughter about the incident. The daughter said she remembered the suspect taking the boy into a room when he was crying. Hardnett-Rados allegedly responded, “shut up before you make things worse.”
The child said Hardnett-Rados sometimes hits the kids with an open and closed fist, cops wrote.
Another child said she saw Hardnett-Rados grabbing the boy by the arm and carrying him to another room. The suspect looked “irritated” and told the boy to “be quiet and stop crying,” cops wrote. When she came out with the boy, he was no longer crying.
Hardnett-Rados is in the Marion County Jail. Her next court date is set for Friday.
The post Daycare owner caused brain bleed on 10-month-old so severe doctors had to remove part of his skull after she told him to ‘be quiet and stop crying,’ cops say first appeared on Law & Crime.
