Newburgh babysitter pleads guilty to beating of toddler caught on nanny cam
The video showed Chantal Mason pushing the toddler’s face and body beneath a baby blanket into the family’s couch and forcefully slap the child more than two-dozen times
More Stories
A Newburgh mom who saw her 2-year-old being beaten by their babysitter on nanny cam says she is far from justice following a plea deal in the case.
“The day she pled guilty, she basically laughed in my face,” says Kristla Holmes.
Holmes, 33, saw the minutelong attack unfold on her nanny cam last June. Her sitter, Chantal Mason, was arrested.
“She picked him up and threw him down and was just pounding on his back," says Holmes.
The video showed Mason pushing the toddler’s face and body beneath a baby blanket into the family’s couch and forcefully slap the child more than two-dozen times.
Orange County prosecutors say Mason pleaded guilty last week to the top charge of reckless assault. Since it’s a misdemeanor, the sitter will likely never see any jailtime.
“It’s definitely not justice for my son. We have been going through it as a team, me and him. So, when his days are off, I’m going through it during the day just knowing he’s hurting,” Holmes says.
The toddler’s mom says the boy has post-traumatic stress disorder and nightmares, adding that he gets nervous when he hears anyone speaking loudly. Their family has changed their work schedules to make sure someone is always home. They no longer use babysitters.
News 12 tried to call Mason’s attorney, Kenyon Trachte, several times, but he didn’t answer and his voicemail didn’t seem to be working.
Prosecutors say they’ll recommend the sitter serve 60 days in jail and three years’ probation, but that City of Newburgh Judge Anika Mohammed may choose to sentence Mason to community service and probation instead.
“Community service and probation is a slap in the face. She showed no remorse. She knows exactly what she did,” says Holmes.
The mother says her son had a cut on his face and bruises on his body from the attack.
Mason is out on bail and scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 7.
