August 19th, 2011
11:39 AM ET

Sitter charged after taking baby on ride in back of pickup

A Florida babysitter was charged with child neglect after taking a baby in his stroller for a ride the bed of  a pickup.

According to 911 calls, several people contacted Daytona Beach police Wednesday when they saw the stroller in the back of the truck.

"It's not something you see every day," Daytona Beach police Chief Mike Chitwood told CNN affiliate WESH. "I hope they revoke her babysitting license for that. Would you want her watching your kid?"

The babysitter, Keyona Davis, 23, said in a court appearance Thursday that she had a firm grip on the stroller and that she did not realize her actions constituted neglect.

Davis' public defender had argued that the charge of child neglect was too harsh, as the baby was unharmed.

"It's only if the pickup crashes, the child will be injured or hurt," a public defender said in court.

Davis replied, "Exactly!"

Davis said she didn't realize that police would consider what she did as "negligent."

"It's not like they give you a handbook or anything," she said.

Davis was released from jail on her own recognizance. Police are still investigating the driver of the truck and the baby's mother.

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Filed under: Child safety • Crime • Florida • U.S.
soundoff (584 Responses)
  1. jenkoosh

    I don't agree that she's just an idiot. She showed criminal negligence here, even if she wasn't "aware" of it. She at least should be fined and forced to do community service. Maybe then she won't "forget" about safety next time.

    June 15, 2012 at 4:07 pm | Report abuse |
  2. richard m,

    wow are u kidding me, it looks like the baby sitter was holding on the stroller and was right there next to it, i have a lil girl, and i tell u what if i was walking one day and it was hot as hell, and som1 offered me a ride, and it was a reg. cab truck please beleive i would get in there with my kidd...what the hell is the big deal....

    June 15, 2012 at 4:30 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Dan de Man

    Ummm, we should have convicted Michael Jackson when he held the baby over the balcony?

    June 15, 2012 at 5:21 pm | Report abuse |
  4. ichupichu

    While this act of negligence should result in her losing her baby sitting license she should not be charged with a crime unless stupidity is now a crime. We have become such a punitive society that people are breaking laws every day that they don't even know exist. Between republicans keeping us safe from terrorism and democrats making the world safe for our children many law abiding decent people are finding themselves facing charges for nothing more than lapses in common sense. Take her license but don't make her a criminal. The bottom line is we can't make the world a safe place for everyone. It's impossible and we mustn't let our government use it as an excuse to strip us of our rights.

    June 15, 2012 at 8:11 pm | Report abuse |
  5. malasangre

    my pop was a migrant farm worker in the 50s. when we were kids we ran behind, jumped on and off a flatbed pickup picking up firewood. didn't hurt a thing. rode inside once, hit a pothole, bounced, hit the roof, hurt my neck for 6 months. stuff happens yo

    June 15, 2012 at 8:19 pm | Report abuse |
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