A Fond du Lac daycare worker, Ashley Karschnick, 32, has been charged after allegedly slamming a 3-month-old girl into a crib and fracturing the infant’s arm, according to a criminal complaint filed Thursday in Wisconsin.
Police say the incident happened at Lily Pad Day Care in Fond du Lac, where Karschnick worked as a caretaker. The baby was taken to a local hospital on October 13 after her parents noticed her left arm appeared limp and she was crying in pain. Doctors confirmed the child had suffered a fracture consistent with physical abuse.
Following multiple interviews and an extensive review of surveillance footage from inside the daycare, investigators arrested Karschnick roughly a week later. The Fond du Lac Police Department announced the charge of physical abuse of a child in a press release shared Thursday.
According to the criminal complaint, video footage showed Karschnick becoming frustrated while trying to calm the crying infant. Investigators said the footage captured her picking up the baby by the torso and slamming her down into the crib “in a fast motion.” The complaint notes that while it did not appear Karschnick used her full strength, the impact was forceful enough to make the crib rock side to side, and a loud thump could be heard on the video.
When questioned by police, Ashley Karschnick denied intentionally harming the child. She told investigators she did not place the baby into the crib more forcefully than usual and suggested the crib might have moved because she “hit it with her hip.”
During a court hearing on Thursday, Karschnick’s bond was set at $2,500 cash, with conditions prohibiting her from contact with children under 12, except for her own. A formal initial court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday, according to court records.
The Lily Pad Day Care has stated that it is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation. Authorities are continuing to review evidence and have urged anyone with additional information to contact Detective Chris Deering at (920) 322-3723 or by email at [email protected], or to call the Crime Alert Line at (920) 322-3740.
