By Robert Fernicola, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Matthew Wayne Lightbody of Brick New Jersey, was caring for a nine month old girl in his home when the girl went into convulsions. Lightbody called 911 right away, but when emergency responders arrived they found the girl unresponsive and bruised all over her body.
Lightbody told police that has was simply playing with the child when the injuries occurred, but according to the police report, the child appears to have been kicked and hit while Lightbody was “playing aggressively” with her.
The girl was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey. She is listed in critical condition.
Lightbody has been charged with second-degree counts of endangering the welfare of a child and aggravated assault. He was also arrested on several other outstanding warrants and is being held in the Ocean County Jail on $100,000 bail.
The girl was not named and there was no mention in the report of who her parents are, or where they were when the injuries occurred. Parents need to thoroughly check into the competency of anyone they entrust with the care of their child. Unqualified caregivers are subject to becoming frustrated easily and striking out at an innocent child with inappropriate force. While a person charged with a crime deserves his or her day in court, a person with several outstanding arrest warrants does not seem like a good candidate for a baby sitter.
Read more about the baby girl from New Jersey who was abused by a caregiver at 9-month-old girl from Brick critically injured by caregiver, police say.