Babysitter is charged in violent child abuse case

The Madera County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against a local woman six weeks after her arrest for child abuse. Tonya Hamilton at this time remains free on bail.

The charges were filed last week after authorities on Jan. 23 announced Hamilton, 50, was arrested and booked into the Madera County Jail on felony child abuse-related charges.

Hamilton is the ex-babysitter of Braxton Musselman, now five months old.

Baby Musselman remains a patient at Valley Children’s Healthcare where he has undergone two brain surgeries after officials on Jan. 13 responded to a medical aid call for the unresponsive infant.

He suffered devastating injuries apparently while under the care of Hamilton.

On March 4, the DA’s office filed felony charges against her including assault on a child resulting in brain injury, endangering a child with possible great bodily injury, a special allegation of great bodily injury during the commission of a felony and a special allegation of great bodily injury to a victim under five years old.

Madera County District Attorney Sally Moreno said the charges are the most serious her office can allege short of the death of a child.

“If proved the charges would expose this defendant to life in prison,” Moreno said.

Following her arrest, Hamilton bailed out of jail on a $500,000 bond prior to her arraignment on March 9 in Madera County Superior Court.

Moreno said Hamilton is set to return to court May 4 for a confirmation hearing and a preliminary hearing is set for May 8. Supervising Deputy DA Eric DuTemple is prosecuting the case.

The district attorney said it would be unsurprising if the case was continued.

“There are a lot of complex documents that need to be evaluated and sometimes that takes more time than people anticipate up front,” Moreno said.

While abusive head trauma can be challenging to prove, the DA is confident they will prevail.

“There’s a history of these cases being difficult to prosecute but medical advances and deeper understanding of these things support our determination we have a reasonable likelihood of successful prosecution.”

The road to recovery

Braxton Musselman is the son of Chris and Tori Musselman. In addition to a severe brain injury, the baby also suffered a ruptured pupil.

The family’s nightmare began when the Musselmans received a FaceTime call from babysitter Hamilton saying she had fallen on the infant, who was then three months old.

At Valley Children’s Healthcare, Braxton’s brain injury required two surgeries with swelling so severe doctors removed a portion of his skull to relieve pressure.

The Madera County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said after Hamilton’s arrest medical professionals determined Braxton’s injuries were not consistent with any type of fall.

“The doctors have been honest with us,” his parents said.

“The road ahead will be long and uncertain. Braxton faces potential lifelong challenges including neurological issues, possible seizures, vision problems, physical therapy, multiple surgeries, specialized equipment and ongoing medical care.”

The infant’s injuries required anti-seizure medication and caused him to have minimal movement on his left side due to damage on the right side of his brain.

“Braxton is a beautiful, sweet baby who deserves every opportunity to heal, grow and thrive despite what has happened to him,” said the Musselmans.

The parents said doctors will continue to evaluate the level of swelling in Braxton’s brain with an MRI to guide the next steps in his recovery.

“The good news is that Braxton has been doing amazing in physical therapy,” the Musselmans offered in an update. “Every day he continues to make great strides forward. He’s gaining weight, getting stronger and showing everyone just how tough he really is.”

Most importantly, they said, Braxton is laughing and smiling his way through this fight.

“His strength and spirit inspire us every single day. Watching him push forward reminds us that miracles are real. We continue to pray for healing and for the moment when this chapter is behind us.”

A fundraising account was established to provide support for the Musselmans: www.gofundme.com/f/support-braxtons fight-for-recovery

“We are very glad to see Braxton continue to improve,” said Moreno.

The sheriff’s office reminded the public that “shaking a baby, even for a few seconds, can cause permanent brain injury or death.”

“If you are feeling overwhelmed, place the baby in a safe location and step away. Ask for help. There is never an excuse for shaking a child. If you suspect child abuse, report it. Your call could save a life.”