A 19-year-old daycare worker has been arrested and charged with murder after a four-month-old girl died under her watch at Little People Child Development Center in Bear, Delaware. Authorities say that Dejoynay Ferguson suffocated the infant girl when she would not stop crying.
Ferguson claimed she found the infant unresponsive in her crib and alerted her supervisor who called 911. The girl was rushed to the hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators reviewed surveillance camera footage and watched as Ferguson used her hands to cover the nose and mouth of the four-month-old girl for more than three minutes. The baby was responsive when she picked her up but went limp when she put her back down.
Ferguson then placed the infant back in her crib and waited about 20 minutes before seeking help. She was taken into custody and is being held on a $1 million cash bond.
State officials say that Ferguson passed a background check and had the required experience to work at the daycare center. The state suspended the license of the daycare indefinitely.
Photo: Delaware State Police