A childminder has been charged with murder after a four-month-old girl died of horrific brain injuries at her allegedly unlicensed nursery.
Accused Norma Chagnama, 29, is said to have seriously injured the newborn after finding the baby had been sick in her cot on 16th February.
Victim Zury Cruz-Sumba was declared dead in a hospital in Chicago, Illinois State, USA, 12 hours later from brain and spinal injuries.
Tragically, Zury had been released from state care back to her parents just two weeks earlier after an abuse inquiry into how they left her alone in a parked car.
Bizarrely before her arrest, Chagnama had given Zury’s parents USD 2,000 (GBP 1,655) for funeral expenses and told them she was “sorry”.
Police charged her after the childminder showed them how she had swung Zury around and slammed her back into her cot.
Prosecutors claim she “forcefully” snatched up the baby and threw her back on her bed, report local media.
When Chagnama realised the baby was having difficulty breathing she reportedly called her mother.
When she arrived, she began giving CPR and called emergency services.
The baby – who already appeared to be unresponsive – was rushed to hospital, where she died the next day.
An autopsy found that the girl had died from a swollen brain and multiple spinal injuries caused by suspected child abuse.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have revealed that the baby’s parents are also being investigated following their arrest for child endangerment last month.
The two reportedly left Zury in their car while they went inside a restaurant.
The Department of Children and Family Services had briefly placed the baby in care but returned her to her parents two weeks before her death.
Chagnama is reportedly denying the allegations against her, as her defence lawyer stated during a bond hearing on 20th February.
Her attorney, Niklas Lofgren, said in a statement obtained by Newsflash: “‘So obviously Norma’s devastated. We don’t agree with the allegations. We’re maintaining her innocence.
“We don’t believe that the timeline that the state’s attorney set out lined up with what exactly happened on that day.
“Norma’s never been in trouble with the law before. She’s always cared for this child as well as other children.”
Chagnama remained in custody without bond and her next hearing has been scheduled for 27th February.