A Pennsylvania nurse has been arrested on charges of child endangerment after being accused of assaulting a three-year-old girl in her care. The allegations against Cindy Desser, 58, emerged following a police investigation initiated by the family of the child, who had hired Desser as a night nurse due to the girl’s complex medical needs.
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Desser’s arrest took place in Bensalem Township after the family, who employed her through Dynamic Home Health Care, reported distressing incidents captured on home surveillance cameras. These recordings reportedly show Desser striking the child and forcibly pulling on her tracheostomy tube, a device that provides a direct airway to the trachea.
The young girl, who was born prematurely and suffers from serious health conditions affecting both her heart and lungs, had her parents confide in local media regarding their decision to hire Desser. “Her twenty years of experience in home care seemed perfect for our daughter,” the mother explained. However, their confidence was soon shattered when Desser shared a troubling video of herself allegedly assaulting another child, prompting the parents to scrutinise their own surveillance footage.
Upon reviewing their recordings, the family discovered a series of alarming incidents involving Desser. In addition to smacking and slamming their daughter, the footage also revealed Desser appearing to sleep while on duty. Another clip showed the child removing her tracheostomy tube, with Desser allegedly responding sluggishly to help, despite the girl’s evident struggle to breathe. During this harrowing episode, Desser was reportedly heard saying, “You’re the one that did it. I don’t want to hear it.”
The distress intensified for the family when the mother noticed unexplained bruises on her daughter. A medical professional from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia indicated that the markings could potentially be linked to thumbprint impressions.
The unsettling discovery was compounded by the revelation that Desser was already the subject of an ongoing investigation for other alleged assaults on children. “It was just horrific. I couldn’t believe it. It’s almost like monsters come out at night,” the girl’s mother remarked, encapsulating the family’s shock and despair upon viewing the disturbing footage.
Further adding to the family’s turmoil, the girl’s father recounted watching one incident on camera: “All our little girl did was sit up and look at her for a minute, and she got shoved to the ground. It’s really sick and horrible.”
Authorities in Bensalem have indicated that there may be more victims of Desser’s alleged actions, encouraging anyone with relevant information to come forward. Their warnings underscore the seriousness of the situation and the potential for widespread concern regarding Desser’s professional conduct.
Dynamic Home Health Care has announced that Desser is no longer affiliated with the agency. However, they were unavailable for immediate comment regarding the details of the case.
The family, while commending their daughter for her resilience, expressed a desire for Desser to lose her nursing licence to prevent further harm to any child. They remain optimistic about their daughter’s recovery, stating that she is “defying the odds” as they navigate the aftermath of this distressing experience.
Cindy Desser has been charged with endangering the welfare of children and is currently held in custody at Bucks County Jail, having failed to secure bail set at £2 million. Her next court hearing is scheduled for early April, where the case will be further reviewed.
For those who suspect child abuse or wish to report concerns, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline remains a confidential and free resource, available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.