'Trusted' Georgia babysitter charged with murder in death of 2-year-old little girl
A "trusted" Georgia babysitter has been charged with murder in the death of a two-year-old little girl, who authorities say was beaten to death earlier this month.
The suspect, 29-year-old Kirstie Flood, had allegedly made disturbing online searches that police discovered on her phone.
What are the details?
Flood was responsible for caring for two-year-old Fallon Fridley. The Daily Mail reported that on Dec. 9, Flood "phoned Fallon's mother hysterically crying, saying the toddler wasn't breathing and that she'd hit her head on the slide at the park."
Fallon was taken to Children's Health of Atlanta, where she was pronounced dead, and an autopsy later determined that the child had been beaten to death. Injuries cited included a skull fracture, and lacerations to several internal organs.
The Sandy Springs Police Department announced Monday that Flood had been arrested and charged with two counts of felony murder, and one count each of malice murder, aggravated battery, and cruelty to children in the 1st degree.
According to WSB-TV, "when police searched Flood's phone, a warrant says she had been searching things like 'what type of people enjoy abusing other people's children' and 'what does it mean to have a sudden urge to beat a child that's not yours.'"
Fallon's mother, Kristen Fridley Gantt, told the outlet that Flood had been the full-time babysitter for Fallon since August, but Flood had been a friend of the family for five years or so. "It's like she snapped," Gantt said. "It's like this evil was in front of my face for years and I never saw it."
Friends of the family have set up a GoFundMe account in memorial for the toddler and to cover funeral expenses. Fallon loved singing, dancing, and animals.
Babysitter charged with murder in death of 2-year-old Sandy Springs girl www.youtube.com
Anything else?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted that Flood has had brushes with the law in the past, reporting that she was "arrested five times before her 21st birthday" according to records, and that "charges ranged from battery to alcohol use and drug possession."
Friends of Flood also expressed shock over the murder charges she now faces. One of them told WSB, "She loves children. Her children are her whole world. She posts about her children every single day. She's an amazing mom. She would never hurt a child."