A Georgia babysitter is behind bars for murder after she allegedly beat a toddler to death while babysitting the child for a family friend.
Last Wednesday, according to AJC, 29-year-old Kirstie Hannah Flood was babysitting a family friend’s daughter, Fallon Fridley, 2, at an apartment off of Monterey Parkway in Sandy Springs. Police said during that time, Flood beat the young girl to death, then contacted authorities about an unresponsive child.
Fallon was rushed to the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta but subsequently passed away.
When investigators questioned Flood, she reportedly said that the toddler hit her head while on a slide. Flood also called Fallon’s mother, Kristin Fridley Gantt, and told her the same thing. Authorities, however, said that the child’s injuries were not consistent with Flood’s story of what happened.
I will never understand why… why why
Fly high my angel babyPosted by Kristin Gantt on Thursday, December 10, 2020
Sandy Springs police said that an autopsy on Fallon indicated that she “suffered severe injuries that resulted in her death during her care by the suspect.” The child had a serious head fracture, along with lacerations on her liver, spleen, and colon.
The arrest warrant also indicated that Flood searched online for:
- “what type of people enjoy abusing other people’s children”
- “what does it mean to have a sudden urge to beat a child that’s not yours”
“It’s like she snapped,” Gantt told Channel 2 Action News. “It’s like this evil was in front of my face for years and I never saw it.”
Gannt added that it was impossible to predict that something like this would happen. She said the suspect was a “loving mother” who had been babysitting Fallon since August.
Absolutely heartbreaking. @SandySprings_PD arrested 29 yr old Kirstie Flood after an autopsy revealed 2 yr old Fallon suffered severe injuries that resulted in her death. Flood was her babysitter. Fallon’s family sent me this video of the little girl. Full story tonight on @cbs46 pic.twitter.com/ppApYH8Ksr
— Melissa Stern (@MelissaStern) December 15, 2020
Gantt added that she had been friends with Flood for around five years. She said the suspect asked if Fallon could stay overnight at her apartment with her and her children on the night in question. Around 8:30 p.m. that evening, Gannt received a call from a hysterical Flood, claiming that Fallon was unresponsive.
Flood was arrested in charged with felony murder, malice murder, aggravated battery, and cruelty to children. She remains at the Fulton County jail without bail.
Online court records indicate that this is not Flood’s first run-in with the police. In 2012, she was arrested for having a prescription medication that she was never prescribed. She was given probation, which was revoked the following year for failure to comply.
A friend defended Flood on her latest charges, claiming she was a great mother who constantly posted online about her children.
UPDATE: Babysitter arrested in beating death of Sandy Springs toddler. Investigators searched her phone and found internet searches for “what type of people enjoy abusing other people’s children," according to a warrant obtained by Channel 2 Action News. https://t.co/M26m8L0c3I pic.twitter.com/xTfxXyfpz8
— AJC (@ajc) December 15, 2020
“She loves children. Her children are her whole world. She posts about her children every single day. She’s an amazing mom. She would never hurt a child,” Sheri Travis told Channel 2 Action News.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help the victim’s family with funeral and burial expenses.
Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Fallon Fridley/Facebook]
