The grandmother of a 17-month-old girl who died in her babysitter's care called the sitter "nice" and "caring."
Tareetha Gibbons told newsnet5.com's Kristin Volk that the sitter, 30-year-old Summer Shalodi, attended the girl's Christening and held the baby the whole time. "... Other friends actually had to wait" to hold the baby, Gibbons said.
newsnet5.com has learned that Shalodi used to work at Gordon Square Early Learning Center on Detroit Avenue. A representative from the center said she was employed for three months in early 2015 before she left the organization to pursue another job opportunity. No complaints were made against while at the center.
Authorities said the toddler, Nadia Gibbons, had been dead for several hours before Shalodi called 911 on Dec. 13 to report that she was not breathing.
"The baby just doesn't seem to be moving," Shalodi told the 911 dispatcher. "I don't know if she's in a really deep sleep."
"She was just so happy she brought so much joy to the family and the people—lives that she touched," said Gibbons.
Shalodi told police she had been babysitting Nadia since the day before but noticed something was wrong when the child stopped moving. She said she attempted to perform CPR but wasn't sure how so she called 911.
"Put your face next to hers and tell me if you hear any breathing," the 911 dispatcher told Shalodi.
"Oh my God, you're going to freak me out," Shalodi responded.
"We need to know if she's breathing, ma'am."
Police later charged Shalodi with endangering children and tampering with evidence.
The Gibbons family said Nadia's mom knew Shalodi through the Gordon Square Early Learning Center where Nadia attended.
The Lorain County Coroner's Office is investigating.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Brian Denman at the Lorain Police Detective Bureau at 440-204-2105.
Follow this developing news story by downloading our app: Apple | Android
