Child Day Care Owner Accused of Abuse

(Norco, California) A 40-year-old day care owner, Connie Lynn Barrett, surrendered to police on Thursday after a warrant was issued for her arrest. Barrett has been accused of multiple charges of inflicting injury to a child.

The arrest warrant stemmed from an investigation into Barrett Family Child Care that began when an 8-month-old girl being cared for there stopped breathing.

The infant had been going to Barrett's business for less than a month on Aug. 12 when she went into full cardiac arrest, according to court records, which cited family friends as saying the girl remains in a vegetative state.

A doctor said the girl, who was living with her aunt while her mother served with the U.S. Army in Iraq, showed symptoms of shaken-baby syndrome and severe brain injuries, the court records showed.

Doctors also diagnosed two healing rib fractures in an 11-month-old boy using Barrett's business a week before the 8-month-old was hospitalized, court documents showed.

Barrett was booked into custody and later released on $50,000 bail. Arraignment is scheduled for December 2.