A judge sentenced a North Dakota woman to approximately 19 years in jail on Tuesday for the murder of a newborn and the injury of another kid, both of which were linked to her unlicensed home child care center.
Last year, authorities charged Patricia Wick, a resident of Jamestown. In January, she pleaded guilty to felony homicide and child abuse charges, as well as a misdemeanor for operating an unregistered day care center in Carrington.
Regarding the murder accusation, state District Judge James Hovey sentenced Wick to 40 years in prison, with 20 years suspended and credit for more than a year already spent. She must register as an offender against children and undergo ten years of supervised probation. The judge also issued lower, concurrent sentences on the other counts. Wick must also pay $810 in court costs for the child abuse charge.
Wick’s public defender, Samuel Gereszek, and Foster County State’s Attorney, Kara Brinster, did not immediately return the phone calls left on Wednesday.
According to Carrington Police Chief Christopher Bittmann’s affidavit, prosecutors believe Wick injured the 5-month-old boy’s head and neck. On September 26, 2022, police officers and EMTs came to Wick’s in-home day care after receiving a complaint of an unconscious five-month-old infant boy, according to KXNET. They transported the baby to a Fargo hospital, but his injuries ultimately claimed his life.
The affidavit states that an autopsy determined the infant’s death to be homicide due to “complications of blunt force head and neck trauma.”
Wick admitted to authorities that she “may have put (the baby) down too hard,” was not kind with him, and was frustrated with him that day, according to the affidavit.
Wick later said she heard the infant coughing and observed him vomiting, according to Valley News Live, which cited court filings. Wick contacted the child’s mother and dialed 911. “And that was it,” he told police.
For the baby’s family, a GoFundMe page raised more than $20,000.
Authorities also claim in court records that the other youngster broke his arm while in Wick’s care after falling off a swing in her backyard and that she did not immediately report the injuries to his parents.
