NEWS

Mother sues babysitter on child abuse allegations

Kristina Smith
mksmith@gannett.com

FREMONT – The mother of an infant suffering from head injuries is suing the babysitter charged with hurting the child for more than $100,000.

Ashlie Arriaga filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of her 8-month-old son against babysitter Chantal Thoss, 34, of Clyde, in Sandusky County Common Pleas Court.

Arriaga alleges Thoss harmed her son, Elijah, and caused him to suffer shaken baby syndrome while Thoss was babysitting him Dec. 10 at Thoss’s Clyde home.

Thoss also is charged criminally with hurting the boy.

“At this point in time, we’re trying to get the wheels turning,” said Arriaga’s attorney, Mark Smith of Sandusky. “The idea is to get justice for Elijah.”

The boy suffered seizures, brain hemorrhaging and blurred vision because of bleeding behind the eyes, his grandmother, Yolanda Traylor, has said. The damages Arriaga is seeking would help pay for Elijah’s medical bills, Smith said.

The family will not know until Elijah grows older whether he suffered permanent damage, his mother and grandmother have said.

Thoss is scheduled to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Monday on one count of felonious assault and one felony count of endangering children.

The night the boy was hurt, Thoss told police he fell from an ottoman onto the floor while she was out of the room, according to Clyde police reports.

Her attorney, Daniel Brudzinski of Fremont, was not available for comment.

mksmith@gannett.com

419-334-1044

Twitter: @kristinasmithNM