Inset: Shidae Brown (Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office). Background: The apartment complex in North Carolina where Shidae Brown allegedly abused and injured a 7-month-old boy (Google Maps).
A North Carolina mom FaceTimed with her 7-month-old son while he was in the care of a babysitter and just hours later was told to rush to the hospital, where the baby boy was intubated with a skull fracture and severe brain injury, according to cops — and the babysitter is allegedly responsible.
Shidae Brown, 28, of Charlotte, is charged with intentional child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury in connection with the child's hospitalization and injuries. Police say Brown claimed the boy got hurt falling off a couch, but investigators believe his injuries could not have come from such an accident.
"The victim's injuries (skull fractures, axonal shearing) are severe and have resulted in the victim being intubated," an arrest affidavit states. "These injuries are also consistent with nonaccidental trauma."
The victim's mother told police she had left her son with Brown on the evening of Sept. 7. The following day, she said, she FaceTimed with Brown and the baby, telling police he appeared to be fine.
The mother got a call later that night from Brown telling her to meet them at the hospital, according to the affidavit. Brown allegedly said "the victim was not well and he had fallen off the couch earlier in the day."
By the time his mother arrived, the infant was already intubated.
Brown told police she was the only person with the infant when he was injured and continued to maintain that he had fallen from the couch, according to the affidavit. "She denied any other accident occurring to the victim," the document says.
Investigators said the severity of the injuries, combined with Brown being the only person caring for the child at the time, led them to seek criminal charges. Brown was arrested two days later and charged.
The infant's condition was unknown Tuesday.
Brown was ordered to be held at the Mecklenburg County Jail on a $2 million bond.