OLATHE, Kan. – An unlicensed home day care owner accused of severely injuring a 4-month-old boy was found guilty in a Kansas courtroom Friday.
Paige Hatfield was found guilty on charges of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, a felony, and operating an unlicensed daycare, a misdemeanor. Kingston Gilbert had been in Hatfield’s care for just 11 days in 2017 when he was severely beaten, leaving him blind and suffering from brain damage.
On January 31, 2017, Hatfield called 911 because Kingston was throwing up. According to court documents, doctors at Children’s Mercy Hospital said Kingston was “suffering from abusive head trauma,” which is, “only caused by violent non-accidental physical trauma.” They said Kingston’s injuries resulted from “extreme violence.”
Prosecutors are asking for an enhanced sentence because Hatfield was a child care provider, that’s being debated on Friday night.
Kingston’s mother, Ashleigh Garcia, told WDAF that there are days that are “barely survivable.”
“We spent 18 days in the I.C.U. just praying that he got through,” Garcia said. “We were told by doctors he is never going to be the same boy. I mean, we pretty much had to grieve the loss of out child and accept that the baby that we were bringing home was not the baby that I dropped off at day care that day.”
Sentencing will be determined at a later date.
