‘Frustrated’ babysitter arrested, accused of attempted murder of 4-month-old girl

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MIDVALE, Utah (KSL.com) — A 4-month-old girl is hospitalized in extremely critical condition and may not survive after police say her head was intentionally smashed into the corner of a metal door by a babysitter frustrated with her crying.
“There is an extremely high chance that the 4-month-old victim will die,” Unified police wrote in the babysitter’s booking affidavit. “The victim has not improved and her brain activity is very flattened. Safe and Healthy Family doctors stated they are considering brain death testing within the next day or two.”
Zachary Walton, 28, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated child abuse.
The incident happened Wednesday night at the Road Home shelter in Midvale, 529 W. 7300 South, where the girl lives with her mother. That night, the mother was working a DoorDash shift while Walton, a family friend, babysat. Police say Walton began watching the girl at 11 a.m.
“Zachary stated around 6 p.m. that night he had become very frustrated. Zachary said his frustration was probably an 8 on a 10 scale,” according to the affidavit. “Zachary stated the victim would not stop crying and he was already frustrated.”
Walton told police that he decided to take the girl to the roof of the building to try and relieve stress. But while he was in the elevator, he said “he thought to himself, ‘How do I get her to shut up?’ Zachary stated he saw the corner of the elevator and while cradling her in his left arm he smashed her head into the metal corner of the elevator where the elevator curves to the sliding doors,” according to the affidavit. “Zachary stated this only made the victim start to cry harder.”
Police say he then repeated the action a second time using “significant force.” At that point, the infant stopped crying and Walton thought to himself, “What (have) I done?” the arrest report says.
By the time they reached the roof, the girl’s heart had stopped and she was no longer breathing. Surveillance video later reviewed by police showed Walton “carrying the 4-month-old limp victim around the roof for approximately 17 minutes while trying to blow into her face,” the affidavit states. “After an extreme amount of time, Zachary finally called the child’s mother and stated the child was not breathing.”
At 7:51 p.m., 911 was called.
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Source: eastidahonews.com