[Adriana's Mommy]

I know that a 16 month old can be challenging sometimes but to do this horrible!! I hope she gets life in prison!!!!!! My prayers goes out to Benjamin's family..

Toddler Crawled to "Comfort Zone" to Die


In his last moments of life, 16-month-old Benjamin Kingan picked up his blanket and crawled to a chair police later said was his "comfort zone."

It should have been a place where Benjamin would be safe, but police say the woman assigned to care for him at a Lincolnshire day care center, has admitted she killed the little boy by throwing him on the ground on Wednesday.

Lincolnshire police investigator Adam Hyde said after the incident, Benjamin picked up his blanket and his pacifier and went to his favorite bouncy chair, where he was found cuddled up and unresponsive less than half-an-hour later.

Police said the Minee-Subee Day Care Center in Lincolnshire was licensed and had a spotless record.

But they said 22-year-old Melissa Calusinski, an employee at the center, has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held on $5 million bond.

"It is even more tragic than we originally thought," Lincolnshire Police Chief Randy Melvin told the Chicago Sun-Times. "Our initial investigation seemed to indicate that it was natural causes, or possibly something congenital. Further investigation revealed...the infant had suffered a severe fracture to the top of the head."

Calusinksi, a teachers' aide, reportedly told police she slammed the child on the ground after having "issues" with the children in the room.

Police said there were seven other toddlers and another adult in the room at the time of the incident. Staff members tried CPR before paramedics arrived. The boy later died at the hospital.

Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Kolssak Funeral Home at 189 S. Milwaukee Ave. in Wheeling, the Sun-Times reported.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.[/b]

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local...e-Worker-.html

Thats just terrible!! What could that poor defenseless little boy have done to her?

[CandaceDianne]

I know that working in a daycare can be hell (worked in the 2-year old room lol) but there is absolutely NO EXCUSE for doing THAT to a child, or even to hurt them! I hope she gets life in prison too!

[amazing_love]

That's just so devastating!! I don't know how someone like that could actually get a job taking care of precious children!!

ETA: I too have worked in daycare and it can be difficult which is why you MUST have good patience before going into a field like this!

[*kyle*]

This is sick and horrible... I just hate to hear these daycare stories as they seem to come around every so often. Good thing that 99.9% of daycare workers are patient, caring people. It is still going to give me second thoughts about leaving my future children at a daycare, unfortunately. Especially as the parents had no way of knowing the danger (the daycare had a spotless record).

[♥Ashley♥]

Oh my gosh. I dont even know what to say to this, it absolutely breaks my heart.

[amazing_love]

This is sick and horrible... I just hate to hear these daycare stories as they seem to come around every so often. Good thing that 99.9% of daycare workers are patient, caring people. It is still going to give me second thoughts about leaving my future children at a daycare, unfortunately. Especially as the parents had no way of knowing the danger (the daycare had a spotless record).[/b]

Although i'm sure you can find a place where you will have no problems what-so-ever, i wouldn't take your children to daycare if i were you. I've worked at several and although i've rarely seen physical abuse, you'd be surprised how little patience a lot of daycare workers have. It's really sad!!

[Resi]

That is awful. I feel so bad for the parents.

I can't bear to hear of things like this, it makes me feel physically ill. That poor, precious boy.

This is why I wish so badly that my mom could watch Reid instead of him going to daycare 2 days a week.

[Mars]

That is so horrible. It's just awful, I don't even have words...

[greeneyes]

I could vomit. I absolutely cannot stand to hear stories like this, that poor, defenseless baby boy. My heart physically aches over this - he crawled to his "comfort zone" to lay down and die, my god how awful.

I'm going to go hug my baby girl now.

[thepinkleprechaun]

I saw that on DS and it just made me sick. Yeah I get frustrated with Aden sometimes but I could NEVER do something like that to her, I feel bad if I yell at her and put her in a time out!

I'm so glad she goes to a home daycare, and that Phineas will be going there too...she is the only person I trust with my kids

[IamMom]

Especially as the parents had no way of knowing the danger (the daycare had a spotless record).[/b]

This makes me want to puke having a son in daycare and another one going to day care when she's born. I would kill the woman if she did this to my son. Like Kyle said the worst part is thinking your child is in a good place....I did alot of research on day cares and looked at their record with the state etc. I didn't pursue any that even had one case or accusation of child endangerment, or abuse of any sort etc. One of the reasons I picked the place we go to having the internet cameras is you never know whats going on unless you see with your own eyes....and if teachers know they could be being watched they will most likely not do something inappropriate just because they think no one is watching or will find out. The good thing about my son at the age he is now is he can tell me what happens....like when he got bit by the same kind for the 4th time in 2 months....finally I told him to push the boy away and one day he did ....the teachers secretly cheered and of course didn't punish my son and the boy hasn't tried to touch him since - go Harrison!!!

[IamMom]

Although i'm sure you can find a place where you will have no problems what-so-ever, i wouldn't take your children to daycare if i were you. I've worked at several and although i've rarely seen physical abuse, you'd be surprised how little patience a lot of daycare workers have. It's really sad!![/b]

Just my opinion, but I think saying this could really freak out and scare some ladies on the boards....for some it is the only option. For us, we've made the choice for me to work so it isn't our only option technically...I could stay home and I don't think its wrong of me to want to work. We don't have family or friends who can watch my children. Having a nanny in my home is an option but I think things go more wrong with that situation than at daycare centers - plus there is no social interaction and things for him to learn that he learns in an environment with other kids and structured activities. So we have him in day care.

I've had my son at two day care centers and both places had great loving teachers and they all took good care of him. Both places were a bit more expensive, and almost of all the head room teachers had 4 year degrees in child care, I think more expensive places pay their people more and can retain better people. Both also had (have) internet cameras in the classrooms and I think that helps keep teachers tempers in check.

[LaLaRose3]

That is so, so sad.

[SandKmommy]

Its horrible!

Even though its not as severe, our friend had her daughter in day care here almost 3yrs ago now(hasn't gone back sense she was just a month over 1yr, she'll be 4 in May), when she went to pick up her daughter one day she was soaking wet, her diaper was falling off and she had a nasty rash all over where the pee was, apparently she wasnt' changed all day(about 8 hours). There was something else that happened too but thats what I remember.

Seamus had some problems at day care in Nebraska and we had to pull him out. At 19months he "decided" to go down the slide on his tummy...I know they are adverterous(sp) at that age but there should have been someone to stop him at that young of an age, it busted up his lip and face. He was also forced to go with the 3-4yr olds instead of his own age group sense he arrived at nap time and the lady doing the nursery/infants didn't want to deal with him, these kids would topple over him. (The day care director there was also a "Thief" I had an opened package of wipes, Huggies, and a brand new unopened still plastic wrapped one hidden in his bag(well at least in an area I didn't tell them they were allowed to go and I specifically told them where his diapers and wipes were). The director opened the new one and took the huggies wipes and replaced them with $ store ones that ripped when you tried to use them. I told a co-worker at the time about that and she said this lady was known for taking the expensive baby things to use for her own kids and replacing them with the cheapy $ store or off stuff.)

[**Jenn**]

I knew I shouldn't have read that. It makes me physically sick to my stomach. Having worked in childcare and early intervention for much of my life I can't imagine doing something so incomprehensible to such an innocent little baby. That little baby is about the same age as my Lochy and I just can't fathom something like that happening to him. He drives me nuts sometimes but I feel horrible after just putting him in time out! If anyone laid a hand on my kids I'd be in jail because of the things I'd do to that person!

I've seen some really bad daycares and some really good ones. I worked in a really good one that was really expensive and let me tell you, they DO NOT pay better but their standards for who they hire are more stringent.

[Alison81]

Stories like this make me sick to my stomach. My DD also goes to daycare, and I always hope she is safe, and content there. I am VERY happy with her daycare now, and all the people who work there. DD can be difficult at times, and they are so patient with her. She always tells me she loves her teachers. I get really upset hearing that poor little boy crawled to his comfort zone.

I also work with kids at a school, and no matter how trying a child can get, NO child deserves to be hurt for it! I hope she gets what she deserves, and has a loooong time to think about her actions. I hope she's eaten alive with guilt!

[lilac_city_mommy]

That broke my heart. It made me cry. I can't believe there are people like that, even though I know it's so true. Sadly.

eta--this is Kristen_at_the_lake, I'm on my best friend's computer.

[petalfuzz]

It's so sad! And it tarnishes the reputation of all daycare centers and will make trusting mommies think twice before sending their kids to a day care when they often don't have a choice about working! It's so horrible.