19-year-old mother pleads guilty to child abuse charges

WAUWATOSA --19-year-old Chancline Babcock pleaded guilty to child abuse Tuesday, October 9th. Babcock is accused of hitting her baby several times -- and it was all caught on camera.

The criminal complaint against Chancline Babcock indicates the father of the infant girl who was hurt had been playing with her. Because the child was laughing and cooing, he set up a video camera to capture the fun.

The father left the room to make a phone call -- and he left the camera running.

The complaint indicates when the father returned to the room, the infant was screaming very loudly. The infant was crying so hard, she was losing her breath.

The father wondered what happened -- and reviewed the video inside the camera. The complaint says the camera captured Babcock slapping the infant four times.

The father of the girl left the room to get an aunt to come with him and the infant to the hospital -- to have the child checked out. At that point, the criminal complaint says Babcock took the girl with her and locked herself in a bedroom. The father forced entry into the room and took the child back.

The medical report included in the criminal complaint says the child "suffered soft tissue injury from being struck." 

Babcock was asked about the incident by investigating officers. Her answer in the complaint stated, "I snapped." She indicated she was angry with the child because she was crying.

The baby is now in her father's custody.

If convicted, Babcock faces up to six years in prison and $10,000 in fines. Babcock will be sentenced on October 31st.

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