Daytona Babysitter Arrested After Breaking 3-Year-Old Boy's Arm

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Daytona Beach, FL - A Daytona Beach woman was arrested on Thursday evening after she broke the left arm of the 3-year-old boy she was babysitting. According to police, 21-year-old Haillee Howell twisted the toddler's arm until it fractured in three places and repeatedly struck him on his arm, face, and legs with a black cooking utensil. Police responded to Memorial Medical Parkway Pediatric Emergency Room just after 7 PM on Thursday and spoke with the boy's mother and two brothers. The family told police that Howell had been babysitting for them for about five months. The mother had dropped the boys off at Howell's house when she had to run errands at around 12 PM Thursday. When the mother picked the boys up at 5 PM, Howell only mentioned to the mother that the toddler had wet his pants. When inside the car with his mother and brothers, the toddler began crying and told his mother that Howell had hurt or broken his arm, according to the arrest report. The mother had a friend, who is a nurse, look at the boy's arm, and the friend confirmed that the boy's left arm appeared to be broken. The family took the toddler to the emergency room. According to the police reports, while at the hospital, the 3-year-old told his mother, "Haillee hurt my arm because I peed myself." His brothers confirmed that Howell used a wooden spoon even though the mother insisted on no corporal punishment for her boys, only time-outs and standing in corners. The boy had redness and bruising under his eyes and scratches on his legs and stomach, in addition to his broken left arm. Photos of the boy's injuries were submitted into evidence. Howell was arrested at her place of employment in Daytona Beach. She claims that she never hit or has been rough with the boys. She was held without bond and is charged with felony aggravated child abuse.

(Howell's mugshot courtesy of Volusia County jail)

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