A Cicero woman who works at Oak Park Montessori, 937 Garfield St., was charged on Dec. 5 with aggravated battery of an eight-month old child, Oak Park police announced.
Karelia Michelle Montenegro, 35, of Cicero, was caught on video surveillence apparently force-feeding the infant, which reportedly led to a tear in the infant’s esophagus that required emergency surgery. The alleged incident happened Nov. 2.Â
Oak Park police were alerted to the incident after an official from West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park contacted the 911 emergency dispatch. The child was transported from West Suburban to Luries Children’s Hospital in Chicago at around 5 p.m. and underwent successful surgery. The infant is expected to be released from the hospital after several more days.
Police say hours after the incident happened, the parents had sent the infant to a pediatrician, who directed them to the emergency room at West Suburban. Officials said, although the injury itself doesn’t indicate abuse, “it was considered suspicious because of the lack of a reasonable explanation of what occurred.”Â
Montenegro was taken into custody for questioning on Nov. 3, after the daycare center’s owner submitted the video to police. Aggravated battery of a child is a Class X felony, punishable by six to 30 years in state prison and a fine of up to $25,000.Â
Montegro’s bond was set Nov. 5 at $50,000. She’s currently on electronic monitoring. Her next court date is Dec. 10, at the Fourth Municipal District Courthouse in Maywood.
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