Police: Woman behind unlicensed Titusville day care violently shook infant

TITUSVILLE, Fla. — A 47-year-old woman who is accused of violently shaking an infant in August was arrested Saturday, the Titusville Police Department said.

Dawn Michelle Garcia was charged with aggravated child abuse after hospital officials and investigators with the Florida Department of Children and Families notified police Aug. 8 about the child's condition, police spokeswoman Amy Matthews said.

"The victim had just been picked up by a family member from an in-home unlicensed day care facilitated by the suspect," Matthews said. "The preliminary evidence shows that the victim’s injuries are consistent with abusive head trauma, also known as shaken baby syndrome."

Garcia told investigators she went to the restroom alone and the child pulled himself up and fell onto a toy, but she said he seemed fine afterward and she said he then he fell asleep, investigators said.

Garcia caused great bodily harm to the child, Matthews said.

The child spent a week in the hospital and doctors said they still don't know whether the child will be able to see or hear properly, investigators said.

Two other children were in the home during the alleged abuse, but were not hurt, police said.

She was freed from the Brevard County Jail after paying a $25,000 bail.

Neighbor Jimmy Brannigan said Garcia has four grown children.

"Dawn is an awesome, (an) awesome person in my book," he said. "For her to be accused of something, I'm sorry to hear it. But I know she loved kids."

Brannigan said Garcia had operated a day care at her home for years. He said she often cared for the children of teachers she knew from when her children were in school.

Investigators said Garcia never had a license to operate a day care which is required when people take money to care for five or more children.

No other details were given.

Cox Media Group