Child Abuse Suspect Arrested After Facebook Post of Kid's Parents Goes Viral
One-Year-Old Boy Smacked in the Face, Sustains Black Eye and Bruises
The heartbreaking image of their one-year-old son Jacob whose head and face were bruised after a few hours with a babysitter was the constant reminder for Joshua Marbury and Alicia Quinney to ask for justice that led to the imprisonment of the suspect.
On his Facebook page last month, Marbury recalled how he and his wife came home from a date night about three months ago and got shocked after discovering the injuries sustained by their toddler Jacob. Marbury said they entrusted Jacob's care to his best friend Markel Deon Hilaire.
Their baby was already screaming and crying when they returned but the babysitter did not even mind him because he fell asleep. The couple said that they saw Jacob's face with a black eye and ugly bruises.
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"[My] son was smacked across the right side of his face by our babysitter to the point where MULTIPLE doctors and the detective said it could have killed him," the father's Facebook post read. He said that even with the abuser admitting the crime, all the charges were still dropped versus the suspect.
It was at this point that Marbury asked for the assistance of netizens to seek justice for their kid and also to have Hilaire placed behind bars. "NOBODY can just hit a child and more to just get away with it because the child cant verbally tell you," the father added.
The strategy worked as thousands of Facebook user shared his story and even reached as far as Europe. Many supporters offered their help to the couple and even suggested to change the law so that victims like Jacob will be protected.
Marbury's Facebook post also eventually led to the arrest of 27-year-old Hilaire, who turned himself to the authorities after the story broke out online. He was charged with criminal mistreatment and assault with a bail set at $10,000.
Jacob's mother updated the public through her Facebook page about Hilaire's arrest. "At this point our case is in the hands of the justice system," she said as she expressed her heartfelt gratitude to all those who rallied behind them.
Despite the arrest, both parents have recognized that the incident has already affected the psychological state of their son. Maybury noted that Jacob has been having breakdowns whenever his mom leaves the house.
