Woman Charged With Murder In Death Of Queens Baby Pleads Not Guilty
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A licensed practical nurse charged with murder in the death of a developmentally disabled Queens toddler pleaded not guilty at her arraignment Thursday.
Oluyemisi Adebayo, 54, of St. Albans, was arrested Wednesday at Kennedy Airport just as she was about to board a flight for Nigeria.
Investigators said Naomi Mondesire died Monday of "thermal related injuries," after the licensed nurse practitioner allegedly placed the 23-month-old inside a bathtub with scalding hot water last week.
Naomi's grandmother passed out in the Queens Criminal Court hallway prior to the arraignment, CBS2's Meg Baker reported.
Prosecutors said Adebayo had been hired to take care of Naomi in her family's home in Rosedale.
Adebayo said she had prepared a bath for Naomi on Tuesday, April 21, and that she tested the temperature of the hot water with her own hand before putting Naomi in the tub, prosecutors said. Adebayo allegedly claimed she only noticed skin falling off Naomi's legs after she took the girl out of the tub, prosecutors said.
But NYPD Crime Scene Unit detectives determined that the water from the tub spigot reached 130 degrees, and it took about two minutes to reach the maximum temperature, prosecutors said.
The injuries suffered by Naomi were consistent with her being submerged up to her waist in 130-degree water for about 30 seconds, prosecutors said. Medical personnel said Adebayo's account did not at all match up to the injuries observed, prosecutors said.
"She claimed it was a mistake. She claimed she checked the water. It's impossible," the child's father, Corey Brock, said. "If she had checked the water, she would have been burnt also."
Adebayo could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted, prosecutors said. She's due back in court May 15.
