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In a troubling incident in Marion County, Florida, a babysitter has been taken into custody following the discovery of bruises on a child’s face. This unsettling situation unfolded when a concerned couple noticed the alarming marks shortly after retrieving their child from the care of the babysitter.
On Tuesday, officers from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the family’s residence, responding to the parents’ distress. The couple reported that their baby had visible bruising on the face and nose, which they observed immediately after the babysitter returned the child to them.
The babysitter in question, identified as 31-year-old Viviana Harumi Ortiz-Lopez, initially dismissed the parents’ concerns by claiming that the child was responsible for the injuries. However, this explanation did little to alleviate the parents’ worries.
Understanding the severity of the situation, deputies advised the couple to seek medical attention for their baby at the hospital. They also initiated a formal investigation, entrusting Major Crimes Detective Zachary Elliott with the case.
Detective Elliott consulted with the medical professionals attending to the child, who confirmed that the nature of the injuries could not have been self-induced. The examination revealed bruising patterns that closely resembled an adult-sized handprint, contradicting Ortiz-Lopez’s account and raising serious questions about the incident.
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.