MIDVALE, Utah (TCN) — A 28-year-old babysitter faces charges after allegedly fatally slamming an infant’s head into an elevator wall in an attempt to get the victim to stop crying.
According to court documents, on Aug. 25, Unified Police responded to a report of an unresponsive 4-month-old child, identified only as “S.S.,” at the Road Home Shelter. The infant was transported to a hospital.
Authorities said a doctor determined S.S. had suffered bilateral skull fractures, intracranial hemorrhage, and acute and healing rib fractures. According to the declaration of probable cause, the physician concluded the pattern of injuries were “far outside the scope of what is seen in accidental falls or drops” and were consistent with inflicted trauma. The victim also reportedly tested positive for COVID and showed symptoms. According to a news release from the Sale Lake County District Attorney’s Office, on Sept. 6, S.S. was taken off life support and died from her injuries.
The victim’s mother reportedly told officials that a family friend, Zachary Walton, cared for the infant and she had him watch her children because he was “great with kids.” In a babysitting log from the shelter, police learned Walton had been caring for S.S. and her siblings on and off for around three weeks.
According to authorities, in an interview with Walton, he said he took the other kids downstairs for dinner as S.S. slept. When he went back upstairs, Walton reportedly claimed his daughter changed S.S.’s diaper. Walton then allegedly took S.S. and he became “frustrated” because the baby was crying. He then “yelled at his daughter for waking S.S. up.”
Walton reportedly told officials his daughter watched S.S. while he took a break to vape, but his daughter called for him because “S.S. was crying and wouldn’t stop.” The baby was allegedly grabbing Walton’s daughter’s face, and Walton brought S.S. up to the roof to help calm her down.
According to court documents, Walton said S.S. began screaming while he was waiting for the elevator to go up. He allegedly “had to keep putting the binky ‘mute button’ back in” her mouth, and his “frustration was an 8 out of 10.”
Walton reportedly admitted that his frustration grew and he thought to himself, “How do I get her to shut up?” He allegedly “smashed her head into the metal corner of the elevator where the elevator curves to the sliding doors.” Walton reportedly claimed the infant cried harder, and he explained that he “used significant force and even used his upper body weight to force S.S.’s head onto the corner of the elevator.”
According to the declaration of probable cause, Walton told officials this made S.S. stop crying, and he “thought to himself, ‘What had I done?'”
Authorities asked Walton about the child’s broken rib, to which he reportedly replied that “he squeezed S.S. too hard because he was excited to see her, and it forced the air out of her lungs, but he did not hear any crack.”
Court documents allege that investigators obtained video surveillance revealing Walton holding a limp S.S. on the roof and trying to blow in her face for approximately 17 minutes. Walton allegedly brought the child back to the lobby, and her skin appeared “very pale.”
Walton faces one count of first-degree felony murder and two counts of second-degree felony aggravated child abuse. He remains held in the Salt Lake County Jail.
