Hamilton police charge babysitter in child abuse investigation

Updated:

A 45-year-old woman has been charged with aggravated assault after a baby was brought in to a local hospital with multiple injuries.

Police say the infant went to McMaster Children’s Hospital on April 17 with numerous broken bones. Doctors believed the injuries were suspicious and notified police. The Hamilton Police Child Abuse Unit began investigating and arrested the child’s babysitter, Shelly Kuzyk.

Twenty years ago, Kuzyk was charged with second-degree murder in the death of her 15-month-old godson Tristan Tooke.

On January 12, 1997, Tristan was taken to hospital in the wee hours of the morning by Kuzyk, who was babysitting him at the time. She claimed she gave him a bath at 3 am that night and that he fell off the bed when she looked away for a moment while she was changing him.

But at McMaster experts made it clear that a short fall from a bed to a carpet would not cause Tristan Tooke’s injuries. The baby had two fractures in his tiny skull, was bleeding behind his eyes and had bruises all over.

Dr. Charles Smith, the now discredited forensic pathologist, testified in Kuzyk’s defence, opening a wide door to reasonable doubt about her guilt. He claimed there was no exact science to determine what time the injuries could have been inflicted.

Kuzyk was found not guilty on February 2, 1999.

Anyone with information that could assist police in their investigation is asked to contact Detective John Pauls at 905-546-3855.