Babysitter charged with attempted murder in Fort Collins
A 24-year-old babysitter was arrested Monday for allegedly trying to kill a 7-month-old child in a Fort Collins home last month.
Caleb Collins first called for help about 8:30 a.m. June 30 to report he had accidentally dropped a child while he was babysitting at a residence in downtown Fort Collins, according to a police news release and archived emergency radio traffic.
“You have a 7-month-old baby that was dropped. Child is unconscious, is breathing,” a dispatcher told first-responders that Thursday morning.
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Poudre Valley Hospital EMS treated and transported the baby to Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, and the child was later moved to Children's Hospital in Denver with severe head trauma, resulting in significant and permanent damage, police wrote.
Upon further investigation and discussion with medical experts, detectives determined "the child's injuries were the result of forceful handling, not an accidental drop," police wrote in a news release.
Police confirmed to the Coloradoan that Collins knew the family of the child he was watching.
Collins was arrested in Aurora, where he lives, and has been formally charged with attempted first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury, Class 2 and Class 3 felonies, respectively. Legally speaking in Colorado, the specific attempted murder charge has to do with the alleged victim's age — younger than 12 years old — and the indication that the suspect was in a position of trust, according to state statute.
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If convicted, the Class 2 felony could carry a prison term up to 24 years.
The man's arrest affidavit, which contains details about the alleged wrongdoing, has not yet been made publicly available. That could happen as soon as Wednesday depending on when he makes a court appearance in Larimer County. Alternately, a judge could seal the document indefinitely.
Collins remains in custody in Aurora. Bond has been set at $250,000, and no court dates have yet been scheduled.
The case has been turned over to the Larimer County District Attorney's Office.
Reporter Jason Pohl covers breaking news for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter: @pohl_jason.