LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) – A Lancaster woman who pleaded guilty to assaulting a three-month-old baby in her care was sentenced on May 24 to four and a half to 10 years in state prison and is ordered to pay $305,812.94 in restitution, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
Kayla Tucker, 34, of Lancaster City pleaded guilty to three felony counts of aggravated assault and a felony count of endangering the welfare of children on Oct. 6, 2022.
Assistant District Attorney, Fritz Haverstick prosecuted the case before Lancaster County Judge Merril Spahn.
“I think it’s more important that you hear from the parents of this little guy rather than the assigned Assistant District Attorney,” Haverstick told the Judge.
The office stated that both parents spoke about how they thought they could trust Tucker to be the caregiver of the child while they worked. The parents also say their son will need intensive rehabilitation and have lasting medical issues.
“Justice for your son would be going back in time and making sure this never occurred,” Spahn said. “What you have lived is a parent’s worst nightmare.”
“There is a child who will have injuries he’ll have to deal with for the rest of his life due to your conduct alone,” Spahn said to Tucker before ordering a sentence.
According to the Lancaster County DA, Spahn has ordered a provision that will prevent Tucker from having contact with any of the victims.
The incident occurred on Aug. 30, 2021, around 11:20 a.m. when Lancaster City Bureau of Police responded to Tucker’s address for a report of a three-month-old child who was barely conscious and had trouble breathing. The child was transported to a local hospital where they assessed he had life-threatening injuries, the child was then taken by helicopter to a second hospital in critical condition.
The investigation was led by Lancaster County Bureau of Police Detective Jessica Higgins. Higgens filed charges that Tucker shook the baby which causes a subdural hemorrhage in the brain and other injuries.
