Oregon Babysitter Accused Of Shaking Baby To Death Appears In Court, Sarah Elizabeth Martin Charged With Murder

Sarah Elizabeth Martin, a babysitter from Oregon, was accused of shaking a 7-month-old baby and causing critical head injuries that eventually led to the death of the little boy. Martin was accused of killing the young boy last month. During one of her shifts, she shook the boy so drastically that he received a skull fracture from the trauma.

Concerned for the young boy, Martin made sure he was taken to the hospital for examination, despite being the cause of the vicious abuse. The staff at Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emmanuel were concerned at the extent of the injuries and contacted the authorities. The young boy died from his injuries the following day.

Sarah Elizabeth Martin was arrested for the death of 7-month-old Izaak Gillen after she failed to properly care for him while babysitting and caused his untimely death. She was charged with manslaughter and was released on $250,000 bail. Since the charges were filed, the bail has been revoked, and her own children have been removed from her home.

The Gillen’s knew Martin through church and trusted her with Izaak. They were devastated to find that she abused their son and caused his death while caring for him. The family released a statement to the media, according to Reuters.

“Our hearts are broken over the loss of our son, Izaak. We think about him and grieve for him daily. Izaak will forever live in the hearts and memories of everyone who knew him. We trust the legal system to determine the facts of the case and to bring justice for Izaak. We believe that, in time, the person responsible for Izaak’s death will be held accountable.”

Mike Regan, the Clackamas County prosecutor, has revoked the charge of first-degree manslaughter and has enacted a charge of murder, which can carry up life in prison for Martin, according to Oregon Live.

Martin’s trial date has not been released, but a hearing regarding the custody of her children has taken place on Wednesday. Currently, her 10-year-old daughter is residing with her biological father and her 10-month-old son is with Martin’s parents. The judge hopes to see both of the children in productive home environments while Martin’s future is being reviewed.

Izaak’s parents thanked everyone involved in attempting to save his life and working to seek justice for him.

“God loaned us an angel for seven short months, and it is our faith in Him that gets us through each day.”

[Photo Courtesy: Oregon Live]