Prosecutor Says Nanny Abused Baby Boy for Nearly a Month

A California nanny is accused of repeatedly striking and violently shaking a baby over the course of nearly a month. Authorities say she later attempted to pursue work with another family after the alleged abuse came to light.

Iara Dossantos Bomfim, 29, faces 10 felony child abuse charges, according to the Orange County District Attorney”s Office.

The alleged mistreatment was discovered after the baby’s mother heard her 3-month-old son crying at the family’s Irvine home and went to check on him. Bomfim reportedly told her that everything was fine.

However, video from a nanny camera allegedly told a different story. In footage recorded July 11, Bomfim was reportedly seen sitting on a yoga ball while bouncing the baby so forcefully that his head and neck moved back and forth and from side to side.

Prosecutors also allege that she struck the infant in the back of the head.

Investigators then reviewed additional recordings from the home.

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According to authorities, the footage documented nearly a month of alleged abuse, including incidents in which Bomfim appeared to punch, hit and shake the baby.

In one episode, she allegedly allowed the child to fall headfirst from a bed. In another, investigators said, the nanny was recorded forcefully tossing the boy onto the bed.

After the family confronted her, Bomfim allegedly left for her native Brazil. Prosecutors say she later attempted to create another online profile offering nanny services. Irvine police arrested her after she returned to California on Oct. 23.

Bomfim pleaded not guilty and remains held at the Orange County Jail on $500,000 bail. If convicted, she could receive a sentence of up to 18 years in prison.

“This family’s nightmare began the moment a monster disguised as a loving nanny walked through their front door with open arms to care for their brand-new baby, and this should serve as a powerful reminder to parents everywhere that evil can hide behind the friendliest of smiles and the heartiest of laughs,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement.

He added: “Whether it is a nanny, a coach, a music teacher, a tutor, anyone who is around your child should be fully vetted and anything suspicious must be reported to law enforcement. Abuse lurks in the shadows, and it is up to all of us to shine a light on it and shield the voiceless and the defenseless from harm.”