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A nightmare babysitter has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after killing a four-week-old baby by “violently shaking” and “squeezing” him before “throwing him on the bed” and eating lunch as he lay dying.
Victoria Fox, 40, was hired by an unidentified couple from Singapore who had brought the deranged nanny to San Diego to look after their son Phoenix while they attended the surrogate birth of their twins.
Phoenix was the couple’s ‘miracle child’, conceived after the couple secured a surrogate in hopes of providing a sibling for their eldest child.
But at just four weeks old, Phoenix met a horrific and tragic end in August 2021 when she left with Fox. NBC San Diego informed.
Victoria Fox, 40, has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after killing a four-week-old baby by ‘violently shaking’ and ‘squeezing’ him before ‘throwing him on the bed’ and eating lunch as he lay dying.
“Phoenix died approximately one day after her injuries,” San Diego County Assistant District Attorney Ramona McCarthy told the outlet.
“He suffered extreme head trauma, extreme subdural hemorrhage and a fractured femur, however he died as a result of blunt force trauma.”
Fox remained stony when she appeared in court, saying through her public defender that she was “deeply sorry.”
The twisted babysitter wore a plain white sweater and had her hair up as she tried to hide behind the courtroom barricade.
He remained emotionless throughout his sentencing.
The couple had rented an Airbnb in San Diego and brought their oldest child, a nanny, and Phoenix with them to await the birth.
With two young children and twins on the way, the couple decided to hire a second nanny to lighten the load, and according to court documents, Fox was the clear choice.
Fox had been fully vetted, her references thoroughly checked before she was hired and she even spent a few days with the family before Phoenix was left alone with her.
According to the San Diego Union TribuneFox told investigators that around 2:30 a.m. Phoenix woke up and was crying.
She was still crying about half an hour later, which began to change the mood of Fox, who reportedly “got upset.”
The court heard that Fox had also told investigators that she was tired before violently trying to stop the baby from crying.
Phoenix was thrown onto the bed, squeezed harder than she had ever squeezed a child and shaken before being thrown onto the bed a second time.
In text messages over several hours, Fox told Phoenix’s mother that the boy was not eating much and was suffering from gas pains.
At about 2 pm, Fox asked the mother what time she would be home. Alarmed, her mother ran home.
The baby was limp, her lips were blue and she was barely breathing, the court heard.
Fox insisted that the boy was dehydrated and that medical treatment was not necessary, prosecutors said.
After Phoenix’s death, the couple learned that the ‘stellar’ recommendations they had received from Fox had been a lie.
“There’s no question that it sends a chilling effect to parents in our community,” McCarthy said.
“Phoenix died approximately one day after her injuries,” San Diego County Assistant District Attorney Ramona McCarthy said.
The twisted babysitter was wearing a white sloppy joe and had her hair up as she tried to hide behind the courtroom barricade.
After Phoenix’s death, the couple learned that the ‘stellar’ recommendations they had received from Fox had been a lie, the court heard.
The parents issued this short written statement to the court. McCarthy read it aloud: ‘On behalf of our late son Phoenix, my wife and I want to thank you for the incredible support we have received from all of the investigating officers and the District Attorney’s Office.
“We think of Phoenix every day and this horrific event still affects us deeply as a family.
“We hope this sentence means that no other family or child will experience what we have been through at the hands of Ms. Fox.”