Inset: Tonya Hamilton (Madera County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Braxton Musselman in the hospital after being allegedly injured by his babysitter Tonya Hamilton (GoFundMe).
A babysitter in California has been accused of severely injuring a three-month-old infant, causing such extensive damage that part of the child’s skull had to be surgically removed to alleviate brain swelling, according to the child’s parents and law enforcement officials. The babysitter reportedly contacted the parents via FaceTime, claiming she accidentally fell on the baby, resulting in the injuries.
“We got a FaceTime call from the babysitter,” recounted Chris Musselman, the father of baby Braxton, during a joint interview with local NBC and CBS stations, KSEE and KFPE.
Musselman stated that the babysitter initially said she had tripped and landed on the child, who was unresponsive afterward. However, medical professionals at the hospital provided a contrasting explanation.
“The doctor informed us that the injuries did not align with a fall but rather with shaking,” Musselman asserted. “As a mandatory reporter, he had no choice but to notify Child Protective Services and law enforcement.”
The babysitter, identified as 50-year-old Tonya Hamilton, was subsequently arrested and charged with “felony child abuse-related charges” following a report made by Braxton’s parents to the police, according to a press release from the Madera County Sheriff’s Office. Hamilton has been released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 9.
“This has been a devastating ordeal,” Musselman expressed. “No parent should ever have to endure this, and no child should be subjected to such treatment.”
Braxton was being watched on Jan. 13 when Hamilton called police to report that Braxton was unresponsive, according to KSEE and KFPE.
“The child was transported to a local hospital and rushed into emergency surgery due to severe head trauma,” the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. “Medical professionals determined the injuries were not consistent with any type of fall.”
An investigation was launched and Hamilton, who is described by police as a “non-relative caregiver,” was booked on the child abuse charges.
“Shaking a baby, even for a few seconds, can cause permanent brain injury or death,” the sheriff’s office said in its release. “If you are feeling overwhelmed, place the baby in a safe location and step away. Ask for help. There is never an excuse for shaking a child.”
A GoFundMe that was launched for Braxton’s parents features a description from them describing the extent of his injuries.
“Braxton suffered a severe brain injury and a ruptured pupil,” the description says. “The brain injury required two brain surgeries with over 300 milliliters of blood needing to be drained. The brain injury and swelling is so severe they’ve had to remove the right half of his skull to take pressure off. After over a week of fighting in the ICU he has since had his breathing tube removed and has been removed from sedation.”
According to the parents, Braxton has regained very minimal movement to the left extremities and “his cry is different” now.
“You know, your babies cry and like what they want and need. And I just don’t know anymore,” Toni Nelson, Braxton’s mother, told KSEE and KFPE. “He is missing the whole right side of his skull right now. So the day that he comes home, we don’t know if he will come home with a skull or without a skull.”
