It happens all too often.
A young, single parent needs someone to watch their young child while they go out. It's just for an hour or two, and they enlist their boyfriend or girlfriend to care for the child -- not considering whether that person has ever taken care of a child, or is prepared for the responsibility.
Something goes wrong -- the baby won't stop crying, or the toddler has an accident. And, reacting out of frustration, that boyfriend or girlfriend hurts the child, or worse, causes a life-threatening injury.
It happens all too often.
Between 2001 and 2008, the mother’s boyfriend was found to be responsible for one third of all abuse-related child deaths in Lucas County. Any baby or toddler left in the care of a person not accustomed to dealing with a young child is at risk. They may shake a crying baby, or hit a toddler who has had an accident or made a mess out of simple frustration or not knowing how to respond.