A 59-year-old American woman is suspected of poisoning an 11-month-old baby she was babysitting with a chemical, and the baby may suffer after-effects from this attempt, which is not the suspect's first.

After several months on the run, a 59-year-old babysitter was arrested on October 3 in Florida (United States) for attempted poisoning. She is accused of giving antifreeze to an 11-month-old child in her care last February. On the day of the incident, the nanny had contacted the baby's mother to explain that she was going to put him down for a nap because he seemed particularly tired, local television station WPTV reported this Wednesday.

Respiratory assistance and cardiac arrest

A little later, the baby's grandmother came to pick him up and found him more deeply asleep than usual. Despite the change of car, the child did not wake up and slept for two hours before opening his eyes and vomiting a sticky substance with a strong odor. The baby's mother rushed him to the hospital, where doctors put him on life support.

His life was in jeopardy. The victim suffered a cardiac arrest and was able to be resuscitated. While doctors initially suspected a respiratory infection, they ultimately conducted a urine analysis that showed the presence of oxidized crystals, suggesting two hypotheses: either the child suffered from a genetic disease or had been poisoned with antifreeze.

Accident theory dismissed

The first theory was quickly ruled out, allowing the infant to be treated and released from the hospital. "The long-term after-effects he may suffer remain unknown," police said, however, and they quickly suspected the babysitter due to the contradictions in her answers. Since the fifty-year-old's husband is a mechanic, the possibility of an accident was considered for a time.

The search of the home, however, changed the situation, as police found two bottles of antifreeze inside. According to doctors, the poison had been ingested a few hours before the first vomiting. After a brief incarceration, the suspect, who had already been accused of similar acts against another baby in 2014, was released on bail.