A 48-year-old woman was charged Monday with murder in the death of a 5-month-old boy at her unlicensed daycare in western North Dakota.
The Foster County State Attorney’s office said Patricia Wick, of Carrington, was also charged with child abuse involving another boy at her in-home daycare, and operating a daycare without a license.
Emergency responders found the boy unresponsive at Wick's home on Sept. 26. The baby was flown to Sanford Hospital in Fargo but died Sept. 28.
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An autopsy found that the child's suffered a traumatic head injury and a cardiac arrest, KVLY reported. His death was ruled a homicide, according to court records.
Wick told investigators she might have put the boy down too hard on a blanket that day because she was "frustrated" with him, according to court documents.
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She said she called the boy's mother and 911 when the child started vomiting a few minutes later.
Wick also told investigators another child had broken his arm while in her care two weeks before the infant was injured. The child's parents said their 6-year-old broke his arm while on Wick's swing set, court documents say.
Wick represented herself Monday during a first court appearance via video. Bail was set at $500,000.
