julia (Baby aged 7 months, France)

Introduction

I worked with children in various sectors, but after my separation and as a single mother of two children, I became a childcare provider. I had been doing this job for almost 10 years when the incident occurred, taking care of thirteen children. Everything changed with the fourteenth child.

The Pregnancy and Birth

The baby’s mom had a very long labor for her second pregnancy. The child had a large head and vomited after every bottle.

The Day Everything Changed

The little one had already experienced a seizure at one month, but I was unaware of this when signing the contract. At four months, he had another seizure and was diagnosed with gastro-oesophageal reflux (GERD), for which medication was prescribed. After summer vacation, without medical advice, his parents stopped his treatment. The mom told me that the holidays were complicated: vomiting, crying, ear scratching, and insomnia.

All week after returning from vacation, the little one wasn’t well. I informed his mother, but she did nothing. On the day of the seizure, I refused to take him, but the mom put him in my arms and left quickly. He was pale with little reaction. When it came time for his nap, he stiffened and began convulsing briefly before crying. I placed him on his side and called emergency services, but firefighters arrived 10 minutes after my call. The baby soon regained consciousness and his vital signs were good. He was taken directly to the pediatric emergency room.

Two days later, he fell out of his hospital bed at night under his mother’s supervision. We learned this with my lawyer when accessing the file and discovered that he had bruises on his arms from being squeezed, which weren’t visible upon arrival at the ER (as indicated in various reports).

When the Diagnosis Came

Upon arriving at the emergency room, they took a chest X-ray, an EEG, an EKG, and blood tests revealing severe anemia. It was only two days after falling out of bed and convulsing for nearly an hour that he underwent a scan. Transferred to another hospital for surgery (placement of a shunt), it was at this point the report was filed. The mother informed me about the report and said they could no longer stay with their child, who would be placed elsewhere. We were all shocked and didn’t understand anything.

In the Judicial System

The parents and I were put under investigation two months later. The parents spent 9 out of 10 hours in custody but remained silent throughout. As for me, having nothing to reproach myself with, I recounted everything I knew without omitting any details. I spent over 33 hours in custody. Being the only person present with the child, I was accused despite my protests of innocence and assertion that I did nothing to the little one. At the end of my custody period, I was presented to the investigating judge who placed me under judicial control and revoked my childcare license.

The investigation lasted 13 months. I was indicted seven months after the investigation ended and convicted. I appealed this decision, but nine months later, I was convicted again. I filed a case with the Court of Cassation, which dismissed it twelve months later. Currently, I have been filing a case with the European Court of Human Rights for nearly nine months.

Living Under Suspicion

Overnight, I found myself accused without work and with two children. For a time, I could benefit from unemployment benefits, but the financial impact was felt. I fell into a kind of depression, trapped in a nightmare fortunately supported by my family.

Then I came to know the association and through it, exchanged with nannies experiencing the same injustice. I climbed out of this situation to understand what might have happened to the little boy. I did research, but justice never wanted to listen.

I followed training for professional reorientation and now thrive in my new job. I became a volunteer in the association to help and support all childcare providers who unfortunately live through the same nightmare that I experienced and continue to experience.

During both of my trials, it was reproached that I am a member of the association. The parents’ lawyer as well as the two public prosecutors clearly stated that Adikia is a group of conspiracy theorists, charlatans, and almost a cult. They only criticized Adikia, which condemned me simply because I was an affiliate and volunteer. This issue will always persist in me.

But for anything in the world I do not regret being a volunteer; it has become my strength to support nannies. I am marked for life, I dare not even hold a baby in my arms anymore, not even those of my family or friends, afraid of being accused again if something happens to these babies.

I am angry at the doctors who did no research to determine exactly what the little boy was suffering from. I am angry at the justice system that gave me no chance to defend myself and prove my innocence, against judges who refused all my requests for counter-expertise and convicted me without any certainty of my guilt. Especially during my appeal, my lawyer and I thoroughly proved the lies of the mother who was questioned during my appeal.

Today, one thing is certain: it is no longer safe to be a childcare provider.

For consistency across testimonies, this text may have been slightly edited or translated by artificial intelligence. If you notice any error or inconsistency, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Adele, France

My husband and I are merchants, and we’re thirty years old. We have three children: a daughter and twin boys. We live above our …

Agathe, France

It has been 8 years since I have been taking care of babies coming from nurseries or hospitals. I am a mother of three children aged 14, …

Alexandre, France

The delivery went without any issues. My baby was crying a lot, was he already suffering? We regularly consulted the pediatrician and …

Alexia, France

I gave birth at 30 weeks and two days. My baby was a large preterm, and I had to undergo a cesarean section with forceps. We went for a …

Amédée, France

Separated for a year at the time of the events, I was the mother of two boys aged 20 and 18 (one in the army, the other in school). I had …

Anaïs, France

My pregnancy was marked by several complications: I had two cases of thrombophlebitis as well as a pulmonary embolism. Additionally, Issam …

Anonyme, France

We have been a couple for 11 years and married for 7 years. We are 35 years old and have three children aged 5, 3, and 1 year. We live in a …

Anonyme, France

I have worked in the field of early childhood for 10 years, 5 years in a facility and 5 years as a childcare provider. I never had any …

Another Family, UK

I experienced preterm labor at 26 weeks and received steroid injections. The baby was head down and engaged from 20 weeks and did not move …

Audrey Edmunds, USA

I was pregnant with my third child and had been caring for children for over two decades. Just more than an hour after the baby came into …

Barbora, Canada

Newcomers to Canada, we had been here only two years at the time of the false accusation. We were expecting twins and already had an older …

Bénédicte, France

Bénédicte, childcare provider since 2014. Married and mother of two children. Difficulties observed at the end of pregnancy. The child came …

Camille, France

Story coming soon.

Candie, France

I am 46 years old and was a nanny from 2003 to 2018. I had a passion for caring for children with kindness, love, laughter, and sharing. …

Catherine, France

I was a childcare assistant for 40 years, 20 in a family daycare center and 20 as an independent provider, with no incidents whatsoever. I …

Chloé, France

My spouse and I were 29 and 27 years old at the time of the accident. We are co-managers of an equestrian tourism facility, and my husband …

Courtney, USA

At the time of accusation, I was a stay-at-home mom, and my husband is an HVAC tech. We had six children in total; our boy was one of the …

Cyrille, France

Parents in their thirties, father is a researcher and mother is a speech therapist. The birth was long. The baby’s head circumference …

Dwayne Lindsey, Australia

Victoria, Australia Evidence presented in my case by the mother and other witnesses states that I was a loving and present parent. However, …

Elisabeth, France

I was a childcare assistant right after finishing my studies. The child had an episode while being fed the bottle. I called my neighbor to …

Elise, USA

When my son was diagnosed, I was an attorney in private practice in New York. As a single parent, I lived on Manhattan’s Upper West …

Elyne, France

I was 26 years old, and my partner, who was 30, and I had a little girl of 21 months when our baby boy was born during the summer holidays. …

Emeline, France

My husband is now 40 years old and I am 36 (36 and 32 at the time of events). He is an engineer specializing in water treatment, and I am …

Fajr, USA

I am 21, and my fiancé is 23. My fiancé was a stay-at-home dad while I worked full-time at Honda. There were no issues during the birth. …

Fany, France

I am 39 years old, married with two children. I work in the social healthcare sector. The child fell from a baby swing placed on the couch …

Flora, France

We are a family of four. I have two boys: the eldest is three and a half years old, and the youngest is ten months. I am a caregiver for …

Ilona, France

Parents’ age at the time of events: 24 and 25 years old. Mother with a disability (arthrogryposis), cashier, adopted from Cambodia by …

Jennifer, France

I have been a childcare assistant since July 2008. I hold a CAP in early childhood education, a BEP in health and social careers, as well …

Josh, USA

Josh Burns, 49, Airline Pilot. Now living in Texas. My entire story can be found at www.tornfamily.com. My child experienced birth trauma …

Julia, France

I worked with children in various sectors, but after my separation and as a single mother of two children, I became a childcare provider. I …

Julie, Australia

My husband and I are both 44 years old. He works as a glazier, while I stay at home with our children. We live in Sydney, Australia, and …

Julie, Australia

We are both 44 years old, and our son has a twin sister and a three-year-old sister. We reside in Australia. During pregnancy, my twin boy …

Karen, France

I became pregnant in quite a miraculous way, as I had been suffering from endometriosis for several years. Seven years earlier, I was …

Karine, France

Childcare provider for over 13 years, taking care of children, especially infants, is a passion. Although caring for them at any age is …

Kat, UK

I am a mother of three and previously worked as a pediatric nurse before facing accusations of shaken baby syndrome. My family had no …

Kimberly, USA

My name is Kimberly, and I was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. I have three beautiful children: two on earth and one in heaven (Jr). …

Laeti, France

I have been a childcare provider since 2016 and I have two children. It was just a routine check-up… The doctor noticed that the …

Laetitia, France

My husband and I have been together for 13 years. The desire to have children came quickly in our relationship. After finishing our …

Laura, UK

I had a caesarean birth at 36+6 weeks with twins. The only issue was her head circumference, but this was never thoroughly investigated. …

Laurine, France

Parents in their late 20s with two children: identical twin girls. The twin pregnancy went smoothly despite the associated risks. Delivery …

Leigh Crutch, USA

Greetings! My name is Leigh Crutch, and I have worked as an Investigations Consultant specializing in real estate foreclosures since 2003. …

Lily, France

I have been a childcare provider for 5 years, having cared for twenty children in my large house. The house is equipped with a playroom, a …

Lisambs, France

Mom is a nurse, dad is an aide, in our thirties, owner of our house. First child, very much wanted. I was hospitalized during pregnancy for …

Lolo, France

I am 28 years old and my partner is 38. We have been together for 12 years. I work as a technical assistant, and he is an electrician. We …

Louise, UK

I am a mother who worked as a sewing machinist. Until my children were 14 years old, I raised them all. Then, the state wrongfully took …

Lyana, France

Mr., 36 years old, works in industry. Mrs., 34 years old, is active in the social sector. We have a first daughter who is four and a half …

Maddie, USA

I enjoy volunteering and taking psychology and behavioral health classes. I am also preparing to start work as a behavioral health …

Maë, France

R, M and E, a family living in the Hautes-Alpes. R is 36 years old and an electrician; M is also 36 and a teacher. E is their first child. …

Maeva, France

I had a perfect pregnancy despite bleeding during the first three months. The delivery, however, was premature at seven months of …

Manon, France

Certified babysitter and mother of two children, I have always led a happy and serene life filled with joy and unconditional love. Loving …

Maria, France

Nanny for 35 years, never any problem with a child. But when the baby showed signs of discomfort at my home, I was accused without any …

Marie, France

A father and mother, after welcoming their first child who is now 3 years old, are ready to welcome a second baby into their family. Both …

Marissa, USA

My son was 25 at the time. He worked as a roofer, and he has an older sister and a younger brother. We all reside in Des Moines, Iowa. The …

Mark, UK

My name is Mark Lackenby. I am 45 years old and work on the railway. My family has a history in mining, as we are from the UK. I have five …

Mary, UK

29 - dog trainer - Manchester, UK I am a single mother who had a wonderful birth experience and a great start with my son. He did suffer …

Melanie, Canada

I am a thirty-year-old mother who recently discovered that I have HEDS, which was misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia for years. Currently, I am a …

Melissa, USA

Mom and Dad are now married for 26 years and have five children aged 20, 18, 14, and twin 10-year-olds. This incident occurred when the …

Mia, Finland

At the time of the accusations, I was 35 years old, and my partner was 38. We both are a year older now. I work in Human Resources, while …

Mlmd, France

I had been a childcare assistant for one and a half years at the time of the events. I am also a mother to two daughters aged 7 and 11. …

Nancy, Canada

We are a couple of loving parents, both 34 years old—one is a teacher, and the other a PhD student. Each of us has three siblings. We have …

Nathalie, France

I was 35 years old and my husband was 45 at the time of these events. I am a restorer, and my spouse works as a salesperson in …

Nini, France

Trustworthy guardian who took in her niece after she was placed by Child Protective Services (CPS) because the parents were abusive. Stable …

Nini, France

Nursery assistant, nursing aide, childcare provider, and home support worker. I don’t know how the delivery went. The child was cared …

Orionea, France

I quit my job as an administrative/financial assistant to become a childcare provider in order to take care of my stepchildren and my first …

Paula, USA

I am the paternal grandmother, and I am filling out this form on behalf of my family. My daughter-in-law was 32 years old and worked as a …

Perle, France

Childcare Assistant for 11 years The child had to be placed in intensive care at birth. His head circumference was high from the start, …

Peter, Sweden

by Peter Aspelin, Emeritus Professor of Radiology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 14 January 2019. Many claim that our time is …

Reginald, USA

I am Reggie Ware; my wife, Melonie, was the accused. This occurred in 2004 when she ran an in-home daycare. I work as a musician and real …

Roxanne, USA

Stay-at-home mom. I don’t remember much about this period. The children were frequently seen by medical professionals who came to our home. …

Sally, Canada

I am 26 years old, a support worker. My partner is also 26 and works in construction. Our baby was born three weeks early. Every time I …

Sarah, France

I am married and have a child. The child had strange breathing after vomiting. I informed the mother who arrived quickly. She told me that …

Skye, UK

My labor lasted two days, and it was a natural birth. She was significantly larger than my other children. We went home, and she seemed …

Stephanie, USA

I am married with two children and have been licensed to operate a home daycare for over fifteen years. N/A It was her first and only day …

Sylvie, France

My son, the father of twins, works in public works. He is a dad to twins born in March 2021 and lives in a house he renovated to …

Valeria, France

Our family was torn apart by these accusations. We had been married for eight years when Victoria Siara was born. As her mother, I am …

Vanessa, France

New mother, my son was the same age as the little one I was taking care of. The parents were in their thirties, like me. The mother had …

Vanessa, France

I obtained my Early Childhood Care and Education certificate in 2012. I then worked in a daycare center, recreational center, as a nanny at …

Virginie, France

We are both 40 years old (I was 39 at the time of the events). I am a primary school teacher and Lionel works as a sorting inspector. We …

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