AUBURN - An unlicensed Auburn day care provider accused of shaking and injuring a 10-month-old child pleaded not guilty in Cayuga County Court Thursday to two felony counts of reckless assault of a child and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor.
Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said Gloria Odrzywolski, 62, of 7 Anna St., is accused of causing internal bleeding within the infant's brain and eyes by shaking her on Aug. 19.
Budelmann said that in an adult the injuries would have been fatal because the bone plates surrounding the brain would have fused together with age, preventing them from expanding in order to accommodate for the bleeding. In the child's case, the plates were still able to expand around the bleeding, preventing the brain from herniating out the base of her skull due to the increased pressure.
“We were very lucky in this case because she didn't die,” Budelmann said. “We have been told that the retinal bleeding and the bleeding in her brain are healing, but we don't know about permanent brain damage. Things could develop further down the road.”
Because the symptoms of shaken baby syndrome are similar to a cold, Budelmann said it took 10 days for the child to be properly diagnosed, at which time standard procedure dictated that the parents had to be investigated as the possible abusers.
Even though Odrzywolski watched the children from her Auburn home, the Auburn Police Department deferred the case to the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office and Child Protective Services to avoid the appearance of impropriety since the victim's father works for the city, Budelmann said.
After the sheriff's department began an investigation, they got a videotaped confession of Odrzywolski admitting that she shook the baby out of frustration to make it stop crying.
Budelmann said he believes she was overwhelmed by the amount of children she was caring for at her home.
Dennis Sedor, Odrzywolski's attorney, said his client never confessed to hurting the child and that she had acted in an appropriate manner to calm down a crying infant.
“She only bounced the child on her knee and shook it up and down on her shoulder in a manner to comfort it,” Sedor said. “She never admitted to injuring the child by shaking it violently. She has cared for dozens and dozens of children and knows how to handle a child properly ... I think what the DA is seizing on is a short snippet of a two-hour long interview.”
Sedor said if the case does go to trial, he intends to have the interview suppressed as evidence.
While he did not know the exact number of children that she was taking care of, Budelmann said he believes Odrzywolski was caring for three infants, a couple of toddlers and several school-aged children all at once.
According to the state's Office of Children and Family Services, any provider who takes care of more than two children a day for more than three hours must be licensed.
In 2006, family services issued a cease-and-desist order because Odrzywolski was found to be in violation of that regulation.
Licensed providers are required to receive training, mental and physical examinations, undergo background checks and maintain the facility in accordance with state guidelines.
Odrzywolski remains free on bail, which was set at $5,000 cash.
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
Budelmann said that in an adult the injuries would have been fatal because the bone plates surrounding the brain would have fused together with age, preventing them from expanding in order to accommodate for the bleeding. In the child's case, the plates were still able to expand around the bleeding, preventing the brain from herniating out the base of her skull due to the increased pressure.
“We were very lucky in this case because she didn't die,” Budelmann said. “We have been told that the retinal bleeding and the bleeding in her brain are healing, but we don't know about permanent brain damage. Things could develop further down the road.”
Because the symptoms of shaken baby syndrome are similar to a cold, Budelmann said it took 10 days for the child to be properly diagnosed, at which time standard procedure dictated that the parents had to be investigated as the possible abusers.
Even though Odrzywolski watched the children from her Auburn home, the Auburn Police Department deferred the case to the Cayuga County Sheriff's Office and Child Protective Services to avoid the appearance of impropriety since the victim's father works for the city, Budelmann said.
After the sheriff's department began an investigation, they got a videotaped confession of Odrzywolski admitting that she shook the baby out of frustration to make it stop crying.
Budelmann said he believes she was overwhelmed by the amount of children she was caring for at her home.
Dennis Sedor, Odrzywolski's attorney, said his client never confessed to hurting the child and that she had acted in an appropriate manner to calm down a crying infant.
“She only bounced the child on her knee and shook it up and down on her shoulder in a manner to comfort it,” Sedor said. “She never admitted to injuring the child by shaking it violently. She has cared for dozens and dozens of children and knows how to handle a child properly ... I think what the DA is seizing on is a short snippet of a two-hour long interview.”
Sedor said if the case does go to trial, he intends to have the interview suppressed as evidence.
While he did not know the exact number of children that she was taking care of, Budelmann said he believes Odrzywolski was caring for three infants, a couple of toddlers and several school-aged children all at once.
According to the state's Office of Children and Family Services, any provider who takes care of more than two children a day for more than three hours must be licensed.
In 2006, family services issued a cease-and-desist order because Odrzywolski was found to be in violation of that regulation.
Licensed providers are required to receive training, mental and physical examinations, undergo background checks and maintain the facility in accordance with state guidelines.
Odrzywolski remains free on bail, which was set at $5,000 cash.
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
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enough wrote on Apr 5, 2009 8:03 AM:
WE LOVE YOU GLORIA - YOU ROCK!!! "
DuJustice wrote on Apr 4, 2009 10:33 AM:
Just one word after reading this...UNBELIEVABLE!!! A care provider can bounce and shake a child enough to cause retinal and brain bleeding and that's considered COMFORT ??!!!!!!
Wow!! Mr. Sedor would you feel 'comfortable' having this person give 'comfort' to your child???
I would love to `comfort' Mrs.Odrzywolski !!!! " "
excnyer wrote on Apr 3, 2009 6:56 PM:
DaisyDee wrote on Apr 3, 2009 6:28 PM:
momof3 wrote on Apr 3, 2009 4:24 PM:
BEATERASS wrote on Apr 3, 2009 2:51 PM:
But then again here you go she thinks shes above the law she don't have to go by the same rules as every other day care, being checked on once a month and registered ect ect ect. You ENOUGH, better wake up sounds like it may be your mother your defending or a family member of Gloria's . Will see where she is in a few months after her trial. "
interested wrote on Apr 3, 2009 2:15 PM:
news2me wrote on Apr 3, 2009 2:03 PM:
How dare you say that parents neglect their children by going to work! My husband and I both work so that we can provide a good life for our children. We love our kids very much, and the fact that they go to daycare doesn't mean we love them any less. Our parents all work too, so are they supposed to quit their jobs so that we don't have to hire a sitter? Your entire response was completely out of line and unfair. I am not greedy or selfish. My kids are given our love, attention, and everything else they need to be provided for! I would love to stay home with them, but have bills to pay. Apparently you are made of money and never had to sacrifice being home, or you don't have kids. You apparently are way out of touch with reality! "
enough wrote on Apr 3, 2009 2:01 PM:
teacher1 wrote on Apr 3, 2009 1:23 PM:
BEATERASS wrote on Apr 3, 2009 11:13 AM:
asilann wrote on Apr 3, 2009 11:12 AM:
pbparent wrote on Apr 3, 2009 9:53 AM:
enough wrote on Apr 3, 2009 9:51 AM:
james_13021 wrote on Apr 3, 2009 8:52 AM:
It's a very sad thing when you have to rely on strangers to look after your children, and this speaks volumes of the crassness and totally selfishness grandparents and parents show to their children and grandchildren.
Grandparents and parents should NOT treat their children as a convienance!!! To be had when they want them around, and then pay someone else when they don't.
A family member should be more willing to look after their own flesh and blood then a strangers kid, nearly all the time.
If you have children, one of the parents needs to stay home and take care of them. If that cannot be done, because your the only parent, then get a family member to look after the children. If you have no family member available or you do not trust your own family, or have no nearby family, then your last resort should be daycare.
Of course this is a partial result of broken homes from parents whom refuse to work out their petty differencs. And selfish parents and grandparents cause undue stress and harm to the kids because of their petty childhooed behavior.
Grow up and be more responsible, please!!! "
BEATERASS wrote on Apr 3, 2009 8:49 AM: