Vanessa (Baby aged 9 months, France)

Introduction

I obtained my Early Childhood Care and Education certificate in 2012. I then worked in a daycare center, recreational center, as a nanny at parents’ homes, and finally as a childcare provider from 2018 to 2021. I took care of ten children aged three months to three years. I am also the mother of two children: an eight-year-old daughter and a four-year-old son.

Pregnancy and Birth

I have experienced two cesarean sections, one unplanned and the other planned. My pregnancies went well. At birth, my children had normal feet and size. My first cesarean was very difficult with complications afterward, but nothing serious. I breastfed both of my children for four months before switching to formula milk. My children quickly started sleeping through the night.

My son was a baby who cried a lot and didn’t like being separated from me. My daughter was cared for by an amazing childcare provider where she developed well. She would spend two nights a week with her grandparents. My son stayed with me until he was eighteen months old before being cared for by another childcare provider for one and a half years.

The Day Everything Changed

I had been taking care of this little girl for five days when it happened. That day, the child was very cranky, refused to be held, and even whined in her colleagues’ arms. When the father dropped her off that morning, he was brief and left quickly. He handed her over to me in front of my colleagues.

During our daily walk, the little girl wasn’t feeling well at all. At noon, she didn’t eat much and cried a lot. I put her down for a nap, but she didn’t sleep long. When she woke up from her nap, I played with her, then changed her diaper and placed her on a small foam mat. As I turned her over, she fell from that height. I immediately ran to comfort her by picking her up in my arms. I noticed she was bleeding slightly from the lip and wiped it away with cotton.

We then went to pick up my daughter from school. Upon returning home, the little girl’s mother was waiting to take her back. I explained that the child had fallen and bled slightly from the lip. The mother was shocked: she turned pale and her eyes rolled back. I offered to call a doctor, but she refused. Another mother arrived and called the doctor who advised calling the firefighters.

The firefighters arrived and conducted calm examinations. The team leader found that her vital signs were normal and no hospitalization was needed. However, the mother insisted on taking her with the firefighters. The team leader was the stepfather of the little girl’s mother and reassured me that everything would be fine.

I asked for updates that evening and the next day. The mother reassured me, but this is where my descent into hell began.

When the Diagnosis Fell

That night, the child remained under observation without any tests being conducted. According to her mother, she ate very little. The following day, she underwent an MRI and blood test. Her mother told me they were looking for shaken baby syndrome (SBS). She also mentioned that the pediatrician wanted to contact me; I agreed. The doctor said it was unusual for her to fall from that height and asked if she had suffered any other traumas.

In the Judicial Machine

My four colleagues were questioned, including one who was mistreated by a police officer. I was then interrogated on October 4, 2021, about a month after this incident. On a Saturday, I received a call to pick up a summons at the gendarmerie. I went there Monday morning at 9 am and was placed under arrest for forty-eight hours.

I was suspended on September 7, 2021; my hierarchy didn’t even help me; they abandoned me. Thanks to PMI Gannat for that. I was mistreated by the gendarmes from the Gannat brigade: harassment and intimidation were present. I slept in a different barracks where I was interrogated, in Saint-Germain-des-Fossés. The officer who took me to sleep drove at 150 km/h on the road.

I had an appointed lawyer who advised me to confess so that it would be less serious. I appeared before the investigating judge of Cusset twice within a month. The second time, I changed lawyers; she didn’t know much about shaken baby syndrome (SBS). The investigating judge relentlessly pressured me and told me I should confess.

Currently, I am still in criminal proceedings. I have seen the investigating judge again and am now defended by the ETRILLARD law firm, for which I sincerely thank them. They are fighting to get me out of this situation.

To top it all off, the little girl’s mother posted photos of the police report on social media and insulted me by calling me a monster.

Living with Suspicion

My family was shocked; they have all been there for me and still are.

My daughter, who was 4 at the time, was deeply affected. She had to be followed by a psychologist. My youngest child was also disturbed; he was afraid I would abandon him. Today, we had to move out of our house and even leave the region where we lived. I don’t feel well there because of this case. The constant presence of police and firefighters at events related to my daughter worsened things.

The sale of our house has also impacted my husband’s and children’s lives. At first, we faced financial difficulties, but with my husband, we managed to get through it.

My son, who is now 4 years old, is experiencing significant behavioral problems. He is being followed by a child psychiatrist, a psychologist, and a psychomotor therapist. The school refuses to accept him for full days, which forced me to stop working to take care of him.

We have been in Savoie since November 2022; I feel better here, but the wait has been long since 2021. Today, I still have this case hanging over my head. I will be free when I am exonerated because I know I did nothing wrong.

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.

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