Montco Daycare Teacher Attacked, Severely Injured 2 Babies: DA

UPPER PROVIDENCE, PA — A Montgomery County woman and teacher at a preschool and daycare attacked and severely injured two babies who were in her care, the district attorney's office announced Thursday.

Catalina Baldwin, 37, of Phoenixville, who was employed at Oaks Early Learning Center in Oaks, has been charged with aggravated assault and numerous related counts.

One of the victims, a 7-month-old, was "healthy and alert" when she was dropped off the morning of her third day, which was July 9, police said. At around 10:04 a.m., Baldwin texted one of the other teachers and said "(the victim) is a nightmare," according to the DA's office.

It's not clear exactly what Baldwin did to the child, but later that day, investigators said she searched "shaken syndrome" on the Internet on her phone.

At 10:12 a.m., eight minutes after she complained about the child, Baldwin told the school director that the victim couldn't hold up her head, and the school director called 911, police said.

First responders rushed the child to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in King of Prussia where she was diagnosed with numerous injuries, including a subdural hematoma due to serious head injury, retinal hemorrhages in both eyes, and injuries to the ligaments in her cervical spine.

She was then flown by helicopter to CHOP in Philadelphia, where part of her skull was removed to assist with treatment. She is currently recovering.

The other assault occurred months before, around May 29, officials said.

This child, a 5-month-old girl, suffered unexplained bleeding in her mouth, which was serious enough that she was taken to CHOP and put on a feeding tube, according to authorities.

The child was in the sole care of Baldwin at the same of the mysterious injury, the DA said.

The CHOP Child Protection Team described that injury as “highly concerning for non-accidental trauma/child physical abuse.”

Baldwin was arrested on Thursday, July 31 and booked at Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post $500,000 bail. A bail hearing is set for Friday, and a preliminary hearing will be held on Aug. 12.