PITTSBURGH,None — Pittsburgh police have charged the operator of a defunct Garfield day care center with endangering the welfare of an infant who was beaten to death there in 2008.
Police said Loretta Bray, 48, and Ashley Swann, 22, who helped Bray watch children at her in-home Bray's Family Day Care along Dearborn Street, surrendered Monday and face a preliminary hearing Thursday.
Police said Bray failed to leave a qualified staff member in charge and that resulted in the death of 10-month-old Marcia Poston. Police said Bray asked Swann, who was not certified, to watch the children while Bray ran errands. Police said Swann, who also is charged with endangerment, then left a group of children alone.
Authorities believe Bray's 7-year-old granddaughter beat Marcia and dropped or threw her onto a carpeted concrete floor, fracturing the baby's skull on June 6, 2008.
Police never charged the granddaughter because of her age, and a family court judge later rejected police claims that she beat the baby and refused to order the girl into county custody so she could get psychiatric care.
In 2008, the baby's mother, Rhonda Moore, said she doesn't hold the 7-year-old responsible for the death. Instead, Moore said she wanted Bray and another employee held responsible.
"What would give me satisfaction? If I could see them on the news with handcuffs. That's what would give me satisfaction. I would feel there was justice for my daughter," Moore said back then.
Previous Stories: August 15, 2008: Death Of Local Infant At Day Care Center Under Review July 23, 2008: Mom: Charges Needed In Pittsburgh Day Care Killing June 10, 2008: 7-Year-Old Charged With Infant's Death June 6, 2008: Police: Seven-Year-Old Child Admits Throwing Baby
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