An Irish nanny is currently being held on a bail of $500,000 in Boston after she pleaded not guilty to inflicting “devastating” injuries on a toddler who later died.
The Irish Independent reports that Aisling McCarthy Brady has been accused of inflicting severe injuries on Rehma Sabir on the child’s first birthday, while it was left in her care.
The case has triggered absolute outrange in America and a US District Attorney has labelled it as “extremely troubling.”
Ms McCarthy Brady, who is originally from Lavey near Cavan town and who has been working in the Boston area for the past decade, insists that she is innocent of harming the child.
“She loved that child. She maintains her innocence,” said Melinda Thompson, Ms McCarthy Brady’s lawyer.
“It’s a sad case. Maybe there’s no blame to go around… she did nothing wrong,” Ms Thompson added.
A court in Cambridge, near Boston, has already heard that Ms McCarthy Brady has a strong network of support from her former clients and the Irish community within the area. However, court reports in the US media suggest that she already had a history of brushes with the law, with two restraining orders against her.
Yesterday the nanny was remanded on a bail of roughly €375,000 after she pleaded not guilty to assault and battery causing substantial bodily injury to the child. Prosecutors believe that Ms McCarthy Brady is likely to face murder charges as soon as a post-mortem examination has been carried out.
It is being alleged that Ms McCarthy Brady caused the injuries to the child on Monday of last week. The child died in hospital two days later.
The incident took place near Boston in the United States
Last Monday, police were called to the home of the family where they found the child breathing but unconscious. The child was immediately rushed to the Children’s Hospital in Boston where she was found to be suffering from haemorrhaging of the eyes and swelling of the brain. Doctors noted that there were also numerous older bone fractures to the child that were still in the process of healing.
Katharine Folger, the Assistant District Attorney, stated during the short hearing that medical professionals had also detected evidence of existing fractures on the child’s left arm and leg.
At 4.42pm on January 14, Ms McCarthy Brady dialled 911 for medical assistance. Her lawyers claimed that Ms McCarthy Brady found the child having a seizure in her crib and immediately contacted the emergency services.
Police officers believe that the child was in the sole care of the nanny during the period they believe she recieved her head injuries.
“This is an extremely troubling case, where we allege the defendant violently assaulted a one-year-old child, causing a devastating head injury and broken bones,” said Gerry Leone, the Middlesex District Attorney.
However, Ms McCarthy Brady’s lawyer alledges that the child had recently “travelled all over the world” and that the “shaken baby syndrome” did not occur at the hands of her client.
Immigration authorities in the US have said that McCarthy Brady arrived from Ireland in 2002 and was only permitted to stay in the country for 90 days.
A spokeswoamn for Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said: “We are aware of the case and have been in contact with the family. We are ready to provide and consular assistance if it is needed.”
