In a harrowing incident in California, a babysitter allegedly caused severe injuries to a 3-month-old, resulting in the rupture of the infant’s pupil and necessitating the removal of part of his skull to alleviate brain pressure, according to the child’s parents and law enforcement. The babysitter reportedly contacted the parents via FaceTime, claiming she had accidentally fallen on the baby and compressed him.

“We received a FaceTime call from the babysitter,” Chris Musselman, father of the injured infant Braxton Musselman, shared with local NBC and CBS stations, KSEE and KFPE, during a joint television interview.

Musselman recounted, “Initially, she told us she had fallen on him, and upon waking, found him unresponsive.” However, medical professionals at the hospital provided a conflicting account of the situation.

“The doctor informed us that the injuries didn’t match a fall… they aligned with those of a shaken baby,” Musselman stated. “As a mandatory reporter, he had to notify Child Protective Services and the authorities.”

The babysitter, identified as 50-year-old Tonya Hamilton, was apprehended and charged with “felony child abuse-related charges” following the parents’ report to the police, as detailed in a Madera County Sheriff’s Office press release. She has been released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court on March 9.

“It’s been absolutely tragic,” Musselman said. “No parent should ever have to go through this. No child should ever have to be treated this way.”

Braxton was being watched on Jan. 13 when Hamilton called police to report that Braxton was unresponsive, according to KSEE and KFPE.

“The child was transported to a local hospital and rushed into emergency surgery due to severe head trauma,” the Madera County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. “Medical professionals determined the injuries were not consistent with any type of fall.”

An investigation was launched and Hamilton, who is described by police as a “non-relative caregiver,” was booked on the child abuse charges.

“Shaking a baby, even for a few seconds, can cause permanent brain injury or death,” the sheriff’s office said in its release. “If you are feeling overwhelmed, place the baby in a safe location and step away. Ask for help. There is never an excuse for shaking a child.”

A GoFundMe that was launched for Braxton’s parents features a description from them describing the extent of his injuries.

“Braxton suffered a severe brain injury and a ruptured pupil,” the description says. “The brain injury required two brain surgeries with over 300 milliliters of blood needing to be drained. The brain injury and swelling is so severe they’ve had to remove the right half of his skull to take pressure off. After over a week of fighting in the ICU he has since had his breathing tube removed and has been removed from sedation.”

According to the parents, Braxton has regained very minimal movement to the left extremities and “his cry is different” now.

“You know, your babies cry and like what they want and need. And I just don’t know anymore,” Toni Nelson, Braxton’s mother, told KSEE and KFPE. “He is missing the whole right side of his skull right now. So the day that he comes home, we don’t know if he will come home with a skull or without a skull.”