No bond for babysitter accused of killing 4-month-old girl
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Bond was denied Monday for a babysitter charged with the murder of a 4-month-old girl in the Albany Park neighbrohood.
Norma Chagnama, 29, is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of the baby, Zury Cruz-Sumba. Prosecutors also says she was running an illegal daycare.
In a proffer, Assistant Cook County State's Attorney Jane Sack said Chagnama had been babysitting Zury since late November or early December. The babysitting arrangement was set up by Chagnama's husband, who knew Zury's father, Sack said.
Chagnama also has two of her own children – a 3-year-old boy and a 6-month-old boy, Sack said.
Zury's mother worked at the Popeye's Chicken at Kimball and Lawrence avenues in Albany Park, while the baby's father worked at a slaughterhouse in the Kankakee area, Sack said. They all lived together in a Chicago apartment – and Zury's father would travel to Kankakee every morning and spend Monday through Thursday nights at a hotel in Kankakee while working, not returning to Chicago until Friday afternoons, Sack said.
On Monday, Feb. 13, Zury's father woke up and headed to Kankakee for work, Sack said. Before he left, he checked on Zury, who had slept fine the night before and had no injuries, Sack said.
Later Monday, Zury's mother took her to Chagnama's apartment near Leland and Lawndale avenues. When Zury's mother returned to pick up her daughter, there were still no issues – she slept fine, ate fine, and used her diaper normally, Sack said.
This pattern continued until Thursday morning, Sack said. That morning, Zury's mother dropped her off at Chagnama's apartment and went to work at Popeye's until about 4 p.m., Sack said. That day, Chagnama was also looking after her own two children and two other boys, ages 5 and 6, Sack said.
When Zury's mother dropped her off at Chagnama's apartment, Zury was not fussy, Sack said. Upon taking Zury, Chagnama changed the baby's diaper and fed her, and then put her down on the bed around 10 a.m., Sack said.
There were still no issues until sometime in the afternoon, when Chagnama noticed Zury had vomited, Sack said. Chagnama forcefully picked up Zury from the bed with her hands under the baby's buttocks – bh\ut not supporting the baby's head, Sack said.
Chagnama then forcefully swung Zury onto her shoulder, and began patting the baby on the back before throwing her onto the bed, Sack said. Chagnama noticed Zury seemed to be having more trouble breathing after throwing the baby down, Sack said.
Zury's mother got off work around 4 p.m. and took a bus back to Chagnama's apartment, Sack said. As soon as Zury's mother was off the bus, Chagnama called her crying and said something was wrong with the baby, Sack said.
Zury's mother ran to Chagnama's apartment, and saw Chagnama holding Zury across her arms, Sack said. Zury's mother saw Chagnama seemed to be moving the baby slightly up and down, but the baby's arms looked limp at her sides, and she was not responsive, Sack said. Zury's mother was afraid the baby was dead.
An ambulance came and rushed Zury to Swedish Hospital, Sack said. Zury's mother also went to the hospital, but Chagnama did not – despite being asked by the baby's mother, Sack said. The mother also contacted the baby's father, who started making his way home from the Kankakee area, Sack said.
Once Zury and her mother were at the hospital, Chagnama called the mother and said she had noticed Zury had spit up – and then had found Zury unresponsive, Sack said. Meanwhile, a CT scan was conducted at Swedish Hospital – and showed a history of injuries that did not match the most recent one Zury was presented with, Sack said.
The CT scan found a 5 mm subdural hematoma on Zury's brain – which is very large, Sack said.
Zury was rushed to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge for an elevated level of care, Sack said. Early on the morning of Friday, Feb. 17, Zury was taken off life support and died.
Zury's father went on to contact Chagnama's husband and inform him of the news, Sack said. Chagnama's husband called back and told Zury's after he would do anything he could, Sack said.
That evening, Chagnama and her husband came to Zury's parents' apartment and said they needed to trust the word of God – and Chagnama said she was sorry, Sack said. Chagnama's husband then handed Zury's father $2,000 to help with funeral experiences, Sack said.
An autopsy on Saturday determined Zury had died of multiple injuries caused by child abuse, and the manner of her death was a homicide. The doctor who conducted the autopsy at the Cook County Medical Examiner's office noticed the large subdural hematoma on Zury's brain that had likely occurred within 24 hours before her death, Sack said.
Zury also had significant injuries all along her spinal cord, severe brain swelling, hemorrhaging around both her optic nerves, and blotchy spots in her eyes suggesting retinal hemorrhaging, Sack said.
Zury's spinal cord injuries would cause immediate disabilities – including a loss of muscle control, extra floppiness, and a loss of bowel and bladder control, Sack said. Zury also would not have been able to eat, and would have vomited, cried, and suffered neurological deficits, Sack said.
Chagnama's action of picking up Zury without supporting her head, forcefully throwing Zury onto her shoulder, and then forcefully throwing Zury onto the bed could have caused the injuries, Sack said.
Chagnama was arrested on Saturday, and described how she forcefully handled the baby, Sack said.
Prosecutors also learned that Chagnama did not have a daycare license at her home, Sack said.
Sack did note that Zury's parents were both arrested in January on a misdemeanor child endangerment charge after they left Zury in the car outside a restaurant/bar while they were inside. Police were called, and Zury was taken top Swedish hospital, Sack said.
Zury was not injured in that incident, and while she was briefly taken away by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, she had been returned to her parents about a week before she died, Sack said.
Chagnama's attorney told us it's still unclear that it was his client who caused the trauma.
I don't know that there was any causal evidence that was presented today. There's nothing that connected my client to the injuries to this child," said attorney Niklas Lofgren. "It's obviously a very unfortunate circumstance, but we don't know what happened on that day."
Should Chagnama bond out at some point, one of the conditions of her bond is that she not have any contact with minors — including her own kids.
Chagnama broke down several times during the bond hearing.
She is due back in court at the end of the month.