September 20, 2010
A three-week-long baby shaking trial began Monday for a former Edmonton day home operator accused of injuring a 20-month-old girl who was in her care.
Bethany Joy Perry, 29, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated assault and court heard her repeatedly deny harming the toddler during a videotaped police interview played in court.
“I didn’t ever shake her,” said Perry to Det. Francine McVeigh of the Edmonton police child abuse unit.
Perry told the detective she had put the child down for a nap in a playpen in a basement bedroom of her home near 61 Street and 102 A Avenue about noon on Dec. 2, 2008, and had gone downstairs after hearing a noise.
She said she found the toddler lying on her side on the floor between the playpen and a wooden hope chest and picked her up under the armpits to get her to stand up.
But, when the child wouldn’t stay up, Perry said she got “upset” with the girl and put her back down on the floor.
“I was mad and frustrated and I don’t know why,” said Perry, who later explained her frustration came from the fact the child had got out of the playpen and hurt herself.
At one point during the interview, Perry said she “got mad” when the child wouldn’t stand up, but still couldn’t explain why she had become frustrated.
Perry told the detective she then picked the toddler up again and carried her upstairs and called 911.
“I was scared,” she said. “I didn’t know what she had done and I was scared for her.”
McVeigh told the day home operator the child had suffered a skull fracture and also had retinal hemorrhaging, which she explained is typically from being shaken as opposed to falling backwards onto the head.
However, Perry continued to deny shaking the child.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2010/09/20/15418546.html
“I didn’t ever shake her,” said Perry to Det. Francine McVeigh of the Edmonton police child abuse unit.
Perry told the detective she had put the child down for a nap in a playpen in a basement bedroom of her home near 61 Street and 102 A Avenue about noon on Dec. 2, 2008, and had gone downstairs after hearing a noise.
She said she found the toddler lying on her side on the floor between the playpen and a wooden hope chest and picked her up under the armpits to get her to stand up.
But, when the child wouldn’t stay up, Perry said she got “upset” with the girl and put her back down on the floor.
“I was mad and frustrated and I don’t know why,” said Perry, who later explained her frustration came from the fact the child had got out of the playpen and hurt herself.
At one point during the interview, Perry said she “got mad” when the child wouldn’t stand up, but still couldn’t explain why she had become frustrated.
Perry told the detective she then picked the toddler up again and carried her upstairs and called 911.
“I was scared,” she said. “I didn’t know what she had done and I was scared for her.”
McVeigh told the day home operator the child had suffered a skull fracture and also had retinal hemorrhaging, which she explained is typically from being shaken as opposed to falling backwards onto the head.
However, Perry continued to deny shaking the child.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2010/09/20/15418546.html
As the mother of the child in question, I am saddened that Bethany has had to go through this. I say with confidence that Bethany has never done anything to harm my child. Anyone who knows her can tell you that she is a loving and trustworthy person and that your mind is at ease when your child is in her care. Shaken Baby Syndrome, as a medical diagnosis is losing credibility, and it grieves me to know that the police and the Zebra Society are not up to date in their research. I feel in this case that justice and truth are the last things being sought after.
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