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In Marion County, Florida, a babysitter found herself in legal trouble after a couple discovered suspicious bruises on their child’s face following a day in her care.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday when deputies from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office visited a residence to speak with concerned parents. They reported noticing bruises on their baby’s face and nose after retrieving the child from the babysitter’s home.
Upon inquiry, the babysitter, identified as 31-year-old Viviana Harumi Ortiz-Lopez, claimed that the child had accidentally caused the bruises herself. However, this explanation did not satisfy the parents.
Law enforcement advised the family to seek a medical evaluation for the child, prompting an investigation led by Major Crimes Detective Zachary Elliott.
Detective Elliott consulted with medical professionals who assessed the child at the hospital. They determined that the injuries were unlikely to be self-inflicted, observing that the bruises resembled the pattern of an adult’s handprint.
During an interview, the child’s parents told the detective that Ortiz-Lopez had been recommended to them and regularly babysits for multiple families in the area.
They said when they dropped their baby off everything appeared normal, but later they received a call from Ortiz-Lopez informing them that their child wouldn’t stop crying and they needed to pick her up.
It was when they picked her up that the parents noticed the bruising.
Detective Eliott reported that when he interviewed Ortiz-Lopez, she provided several contradictory statements on how the child sustained the injuries.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrested Ortiz-Lopez and charged her with felony child abuse.
Authorities believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with further information about this case, or who thinks their child may have been a victim, should contact MCSO Detective Elliott directly at 352-368-3874.