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10 Worst Nannies of All-Time

Posted on August 21, 2011 by admin

We love nannies. They serve an important role in society, raising children, molding young minds, and keeping families functioning all across the globe. Unfortunately, however, there are some notable exceptions. See how many of these nannies gone bad you can recall. Here are the ten worst nanny arrests of all time:

  1. Feb. 9, 1997:  Louise Woodward, a 19-year old English Au Pair, was charged with the murder of 8-month old Matthew Eappen, for whom she was hired to care. Amid stories that she had been at odds with Matthew’s parents over some house rules, Woodward was accused of having violently shaken and fatally injured him in an apparent attempt to stop his crying. She was eventually found guilty of the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter, sentenced to time already served, and deported.
  2. May 7, 2009: Jonathan Then, dubbed the Manhattan Manny by the press, was arrested for molesting three Manhattan boys in his care, ranging in age from 8 to 10, just one month after having been arrested and subsequently released on bail for a similar charge. Also accused of collecting child pornography, Then advertised his services as a nanny by describing himself as “boy-savvy”. Indeed.
  3. July 29, 2008: Annette Martinez, 25, was charged with criminal sexual penetration of a minor, the 14-year old boy in her care. Claiming she was in love with him, Martinez confessed to having had sex with the boy on at least 40 separate occasions.
  4. Oct. 26, 2003: Jimena Barreto, a nanny, drove her vehicle, while intoxicated, across two lanes of traffic, slamming into a 10-year old boy and his 7-year old sister, killing them both. She then fled the scene, remaining at large for two days before being arrested.
  5. Aug. 9, 2008: Brazilian nanny Ana Amelia Santos Cuoco was arrested after her newborn baby was found dead, wrapped in a towel and stuffed inside a plastic bag in the closet of her room. She claimed the baby dropped out of her and to the floor unexpectedly when she stood up, and died from the fall. She was charged with concealing the death of a child and abuse of a corpse.
  6. June 9, 2008: From our Arrests-That-Almost-Happened-For-Crimes-That-Never-Did Files, Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez was questioned in regard to the disappearance of Caylee Anthony. Caylee’s mother, Cayce Anthony had claimed during her murder trial that “Zanny the Nanny” Fernandez-Gonzalez had abducted the child. It was later determined that no such nanny existed. This real-life Zenaida Fernandez-Gonzalez, however,  filed a defamation lawsuit against Anthony.
  7. July 26, 2001 Edinburgh, Scotland: Tina McLeod, while caring for 12-month old Alexander Graham, is accused of violently shaking the boy and hitting his head, killing him. She claims that the fatal injury was the result of a fall. The jury ultimately renders a verdict of “not proven” after testimony from a neuropathologist raises doubt that the child could have been shaken violently enough to cause his death.
  8. Mar. 17, 2010: In a case where the main evidence was a nanny cam video, Jeannine Campbell was arrested for battery on a child. In the video, Campbell can be seen slapping the 11-month old boy hard enough in the head to knock him over, yanking him off the floor by his arm, then slamming him to the floor.
  9. June 17, 2009: Douglas J. Shepherd , a 23-year old man who had gotten hired via an online nanny service, was charged with sexual assault on a 10-year old boy. He was arrested after confiding to doctors of having suicidal thoughts as a result of the assaults. Naturally, he then pleaded not guilty. Shepherd was also charged with child pornography after police found supporting evidence of it on his computer. Police said he landed jobs working with children in at least 6 different states before being apprehended.
  10. June 23, 1996: This one comes from our Nanny Case Cold Files. Swedish au pair Karina Holmer disappeared after leaving a Boston nightclub. The 20-year old’s upper body was later found with rope marks around her neck, in a dumpster by a homeless person. Although over 300 witnesses and possible suspects were questioned in the case, it has never been solved, so no arrests were ever made.
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10 Ways for Nannies to Research Families

Posted on August 4, 2011 by admin

Prospective employers aren’t the only ones with security concerns when it comes to hiring a nanny. Applicants will naturally have concerns as well, both as to the children they will be caring for as well as the rest of the household. The most effective method of checking out a family is to ask the right questions during the interview process. There are other ways for a nanny to get the information she needs, as well, and here we have a few ways that a nanny can research a family.

  1. Background Check – A candidate for the job of nanny needs to be reassured that she will not be going to work for a gang of wanted criminals, just as the employers wants to ensure they aren’t hiring someone from the FBI’s Most Wanted list.
  2. Sexual Predators – Nannies need to take precautions so that they don’t place themselves in danger of sexual assaults from an employer or a member of his household.
  3. Credit Check – This may not be easy to come by, but a nanny could use some reassurance that the family is on reasonable financial footing. It helps to know the paychecks will arrive on time.
  4. Restraining Orders – A nanny needs to know she is not putting herself in harms way, and is within her rights to check that her prospective employers don’t have a history of violence.
  5. Children’s Schooling – During the interview process, the nanny should inquire about academic records and interests.
  6. Meds – If children, or any family member for that matter, are on medications, the nanny should be aware. This would include medications for behavior problems, allergies, heart diseases and a host of other reasons. Most nannies are certified in CPR and first-aid, and can help in many family emergencies.
  7. Private Investigators – If a nanny has issues that need to be checked out, a private investigator may be hired to look into matters.
  8. Other Nannies – Word gets around if a family that wants to hire a nanny is a family to be avoided; nannies will talk to each other.
  9. Neighbors – It’s alright to ask around the neighborhood about your potential employers; this also helps to acclimate the nanny to the area she may be moving to.
  10. Ask Questions – If a family and a nanny are going to have a successful relationship, a large element of trust has to be engendered. The best way for all parties to “research” each other is simple conversation. If there are problems, many can be dealt with beforehand, or folks may just realize that they aren’t suited for each other.

Personal impressions are important, but so is a good measure of personal knowledge, and all parties are best served through open lines of communication.

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Change in Insurance/Driving Status

Posted on May 4, 2011 by admin

DRIVING/ INSURANCE/OTHER STATUS CHANGE


Employee, ________________________________________ agrees to immediately notify employer of any change in driving or insurance status.
This includes license suspension, revocation, issuance of citations, anticipation of suspension, judicial driving permit,
car insurance cancellation or any status that may affect the coverage or driving privileges.
A written copy of the status change shall be provided to the employer indicating dates and impending changes.
Employee shall also provide re-instatement documentation once license or insurance coverage has been re-instated.
I understand that I am also obligated to notify my employer of any possible criminal offenses that may occur while employed in a childcare position.

During the course of employment, employer reserves the right to check the status and driving record of employee to ensure status and coverage.

Definitions:

Immediately – The same calendar day the information is discovered by the employee (orally or in writing).

AGREED AND ACCEPTED BY:

Date: _______________

Employee: _____________________________________________________________

Date:________________

Employer:______________________________________________________________

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