Jury finds Springfield babysitter responsible for 2-year-old's death

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A Sangamon County Jury found a 2-year-old's babysitter responsible for her death, after having drowned in a bathtub.

According to Sangamon County State's Attorney John Milhiser, Kaitlynn Russell was convicted Thursday of Endangering the Life or Health of a Child and Reckless Conduct following a jury trial in Sangamon County.

The state's attorney said during the trial, the jury heard evidence that Russell was babysitting a 2-year-old in January 2022, when the child was found face-down in a bathtub at Russell's home.

Prosecutors argued that Russell would let the child roam freely with little supervision around the home and that there was standing water in her bathtub that was accessible to the child.

Prosecutors also presented evidence that there was a period of time after the child was found in the bathtub that Russell did not seek medical attention.

Springfield Police Department Detective Chuck Redpath testified that Russell did not initially tell investigators that the child was found in a bathtub, but rather stated that the child had fallen off the couch.

Redpath also testified that he found evidence that suggested the child had drowned after executing a search warrant.

Prosecutors said Russell made several inconsistent statements to investigators which were recorded by the police and shown to the jury in trial.

Russell eventually admitted that the child was found in the bathtub.

Russell will be sentenced in November and faces up to ten years in prison. She will remain in custody until sentencing.