Mom speaks out after baby killed when sitter allegedly slammed him into playpen

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Police say 5-month-old Cooper Dubovik of Jacksonville, Florida, died after his baby sitter, Barbara Kendrick, admitted to throwing him into his playpen.

Cooper's mother, Teal Garvin, opened up to ActionNewsJax.com.

“To not be able to hold him, and to not be able to see his smile, it’s just so hard, it’s so incredibly hard," she said.

On March 7, police were called out to a home on Davis Road. Baby Cooper had stopped breathing.

Police say 65-year-old Kendrick admitted she threw the 5-month-old into his playpen.

Kendrick told officers she had been watching Cooper about two months.

Cooper's mother said she never imagined Kendrick would hurt her only child.

“To wait 16 minutes while you watch him gasp for air trying to stay alive, you chose to kill him," Garvin said. "I can’t forgive that.”

Reports said Cooper was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. He had a skull fracture and no brain activity. The next day, he died.

Now, his parents are fighting for justice

“I just can’t even begin to explain how hard it is," Garvin said.

Kendrick’s next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.

To help Cooper's family, you can donate to their GoFundMe page here.

Cox Media Group