Republic daycare operator Dillbeck found guilty of child abuse

Guilty defendant to be sentenced in July for shaking baby in 2017
 
A former Republic daycare operator was found guilty of child abuse after a two-and-a-half-day trial that
ended on Tuesday, April 27. Samantha Dillbeck was found guilty by Judge Calvin Holden of physically
abusing a then eight-month-old boy who was left in her care. Dillbeck, who was eight-and-a half-months
pregnant at the time of incident, was accused of injuring the child on March 21, 2017; police were called
to perform a wellness check on the boy after he was found unresponsive.
During the trial, Dillbeck’s defense called a pediatrician to testify; the pediatrician stated there was
insufficient evidence to label the injuries the boy received were non-accidental. However, the prosecution
called three other doctors who testified that the boy’s injuries were non-accidental.
Probable cause
According to the probable cause statement in the case, Dillbeck told officers who came to check on the
boy that she had been working with the boy to help him sit up on his own, and that he fell over multiple
times. At one point, she told the officers, the boy’s eyes rolled back into his head, and he “slammed” his
head into the floor. She also said that when she picked him up, the boy went limp and began to display
delayed breathing, at which time she called 911.
According to online records, the case centered on whether the injuries to the boy were accidental or non-
accidental. Online records stated there was no external evidence of injury to the boy, no skull fractures
on him and no signs of accidental injuries, but there was medical evidence that the boy had sustained a
head injury two to three weeks prior to the incident on March 21, 2017.
Daycare facility unlicensed
In addition to the child abuse charge, Dillbeck was found guilty of running an unlicensed daycare facility.
She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16; she faces five to 15 years in prison. At present, she
remains free on a $25,000 bond.