Newburgh mother says Ring camera captured video of babysitter abusing 2-year-old son
NEWBURGH, N.Y. -- A woman entrusted to care for a friend's child is now being accused of assaulting the toddler.
The boy's mother shared her story with CBS2 on Wednesday, saying the abuse was all caught on surveillance camera.
Kristla Holmes was appalled after opening up her phone at work Monday and seeing what was going on inside her Newburgh home. Babysitter Chantal Mason is seen on video on the couch covering Holmes' 2-year-old son in a blanket before repeatedly slapping him on the back.
"You see her foot laid on his head, laid on his butt, while she is just lounging on my couch," Holmes said.
Holmes said Mason was a long-time family friend who had watched over her kids before. She said she never suspected any abuse, until her Ring camera kept pinging Monday afternoon, detecting motion from the living room.
"She told me that he just woke up, she fed him, and he was laying on the couch watching TV. So when I checked the camera, that's not what he was doing. He was hysterically crying," Holmes said.
Holmes rushed home and called police, who arrested and charged Mason with endangering the welfare of a child. CBS2 tried calling her for comment, but the woman who answered claimed we had the wrong number.
"She deserves to be in jail. I want her in jail," Holmes said.
Holmes said her son suffered minor bruising, adding she fears for what could have happened had she not had cameras.
She said she shared her story as a warning to other parents.
"You can't trust nobody. You cannot trust your kids' godparents. You can't trust a long friend. You can't trust nobody. Watch your own kids, protect your own kids," Holmes said.