Babysitter Charged With Murdering 2-Year-Old, Allegedly Searched Abusing Other's Children
Dec. 15 2020, Published 7:48 p.m. ET
An unthinkable tragedy unfolded earlier this month. Kirstie Flood, a babysitter in Sandy Springs, Ga., has been arrested and charged in the murder of 2-year-old Fallon Fridley. She reportedly made unsettling searches on her phone prior to the child's death.
After authorities got a call about an unresponsive child inside an apartment on Monterey Parkway, Sandy Springs Police Department launched an investigation on December 9 about the incident.
The toddler was brought to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, where she was pronounced dead, according to the police. Flood was looking after the little girl at the time. WSB-TV reported news of Flood's arrest on Tuesday, December 15.
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According to police, Flood said the child hit her head on a slide at the park and didn’t wake up. However, doctors at the hospital insisted that the injuries did not match up with Flood’s story.
“An autopsy performed on the child revealed she suffered severe injuries that resulted in her death during her care by the suspect,” police said in a statement.
Flood was taken into custody and has been charged with two counts of felony murder, one count of malice murder, aggravated battery and cruelty to children. She is being held in the Fulton County Jail without bail since Friday, December 11.
Fallon’s parents said Flood had been babysitting their daughter since August and had no idea she would commit this type of crime.
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After police went through Flood’s phone for any evidence, a warrant said she searched disturbing things like “what type of people enjoy abusing other people’s children” and “what does it mean to have a sudden urge to beat a child that’s not yours.”
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Samantha Shelton, CEO of Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters, worked alongside Fallon’s mother, Kristin Fridley Gantt, and had noticed that the little tot already loved taking care of animals. Shelton is still in shock over how the events unfolded.
“You just want to wake up,” Shelton said. “This is just a horrible, horrible nightmare. This is not real.”
She continued, “It’s one thing to lose your child to an illness or an accident you can’t control, but to have someone you knew and trusted harm your child, kill your child. It’s going to be a long road to recovery.”
This is hardly the first time Flood has been in trouble with the law. In fact, she has been arrested five times — charges range from battery to drug possession — before her 21st birthday, Cobb County records show.
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A GoFundMe page was created to help the mother with medical and funeral expenses. “On December 9, 2020, our friend and Furkids colleague, Kristin Fridley Gantt, experienced a mother's worst nightmare,” the description reads. “Her precious daughter, Fallon, had died in what was reported by the babysitter as a fall at the playground. However, in the following 24 hours an unimaginable truth would surface. The babysitter murdered sweet, innocent, Fallon, making a parent's nightmare even more horrific. The babysitter has been charged with felony murder, malice murder, cruelty to children 1st degree, and felony murder.”
“My heart is filled with gratitude to the friends and supporters behind Furkids that have gathered together,” Shelton said. “We stand absolutely united behind her. We need justice for Fallon.”