Roseville 1-year-old dies after alleged abuse, babysitter charged

The Roseville 1-year-old boy who was hospitalized a week ago after an alleged case of severe child abuse reportedly caused by his babysitter, has died.

FOX 2 learned from the family that baby Kyrie passed away just before 9 a.m. on Wednesday after he was hospitalized a week ago.

UPDATE: The babysitter has been charged with murder. Read more here.

Taylor Starks said when she left her son in the care of her babysitter, she trusted the woman to ensure her child was safe. But at 1:50 a.m. the next day, she got a fateful text about the way her son was sleeping. As of Monday, Kyrie had no brain activity and the babysitter was facing child abuse charges.

Those charges will now be upgraded for babysitter Kimora Hodges, who does have priors for domestic violence and is being held on a very high $250,000 bond, no 10-percent.  

Kyrie, 1, has a severe brain injury and the babysitter who was supposed to take care of him is charged with child abuse and possibly more.

Starks told FOX 2 on Tuesday that Hodges, had watched Kyrie multiple times and was a trusted babysitter and friend. She was taking care of Kyrie on June 13th. 

Early the next morning, Starks said Hodges messaged her about her son. At first, she said Kyrie had eaten soap and was having an allergic reaction.

Starks rushed home to her Roseville apartment complex.

"Once I made it there my baby was on the ground having seizure, after seizure, after seizure," she said.

At first, she believed the alleged allergy story. But once Kyrie was in the care of doctors at Ascension St. John, she learned the worst.

"He had blunt force trauma to the head and he was bleeding out his ears and had to have immediate brain surgery," Starks said. "All I know is she threw my son into the wall and shook him up pretty bad and they said that's just a bit of what she did to him."

According to her GoFundMe page, her son was first hurt around 10 p.m. on the 13th, but it wasn't until 1:51 a.m. on the 14th that she was contacted. By 2:05 a.m., Starks said she was by her son's side.

She said that Hodges had watched her son for months and that this is her worst fear coming true.

Taylor Starks said when she left her son in the care of her babysitter, she trusted the woman to ensure her child was safe. But at 1:50 a.m. the next day, she got a fateful text about the way her son was sleeping. 

"He had blunt force trauma to the head and he was bleeding out his ears and had to have immediate brain surgery," said Roseville Police Chief Ryan Monroe.  "The babysitter was arrested and charged for 1st degree child abuse but obviously those charges could change if the child ends up passing."  

Roseville police are now working with the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office on more charges against Hodges, who admitted to what she did.

"She's been very cooperative and very regretful, remorseful for her actions," he said. "But it obviously doesn't take it back."  

Babysitter Kimora Hodges

Babysitter Kimora Hodges