Summer Shalodi: Ohio Babysitter Gave 17-Month-Old Baby Fatal Dose Of Xanax, Went Off To Watch A Movie
An Ohio babysitter who gave a fatal dose of Xanax to a toddler so she could meet a friend and go watch a movie has been sentenced to 22 years in prison, The Olympian is reporting.
Summer Shalodi, 32, was babysitting 17-month Nadia Gibbons back in December 2015. At about 8:45 p.m. that night, as she would later admit in court, Shalodi wanted to meet a friend and see a movie, rather than continue babysitting. She gave the toddler an unknown amount of Xanax – a drug used to treat anxiety.
When she returned at about 2:30 a.m., having gone shopping at Walmart after seeing the movie, Shalodi found the young girl unresponsive. Rather than immediately call 911, Shalodi instead shook the girl to try to revive her – injuring the young girl’s brain. She then tried dipping the girl in hot water to revive her, giving her burns in the process.
By the time Shalodi called 911 and first responders arrived, Nadia had been dead for so long that her body was cold.
Lorain County Assistant Prosecutor Laura Dezort said, via the Cleveland News-Herald, that Shalodi’s actions were meant only to protect herself, not Nadia.
“Each and every step she took, caused more and more injuries and ultimately led to the death of Nadia. And she did it to protect herself. She did it so she wouldn’t be responsible.”
Family of 17-month-old Nadia Gibbons say they don’t know how she died. Babysitter charged. pic.twitter.com/EWTAiWhKvc
— Kristin Volk (@Kristin_Volk) December 22, 2015
Nadia’s mother, Nadia Gibbons, told the court that she met Summer when she worked at the childcare facility Nadia attended. The two struck up a friendship, and after Summer left the childcare facility, Summer continued to try to insert herself into Nadia’s life.
“She pursued us, your honor. She reached out to me to tell me that she missed my daughter; she wanted to spend time with her, she wanted to see her.”
On the night of the toddler’s death, however, Summer wanted to do anything but babysit, according to the prosecutor.
“Apparently, she really didn’t want to baby sit because she was making phone calls and sending texts trying to make arrangements to actually go out. By about 8:45 or so, she had left Nadia in the hands of another baby-sitter: Xanax.”
Initially, Summer was charged with murder, as well as a variety of other felonies. However, she instead took a plea deal, pleading guilty to five counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of corrupting another with drugs, two counts of endangering children and a single count of tampering with evidence. In exchange for her guilty plea to lesser charges, she was spared the more serious charge of murder, which could have landed her in prison for life.
This week, Shalodi was sentenced to 22 years in prison. What’s more, she must pay $19,000 in restitution, and will be under house arrest for five years after she’s released from prison.
Meanwhile, Nadia’s mother says that, through prayer and counseling, she is learning to accept her daughter’s death.
“That type of false guilt could tear a person apart. Summer’s selfish actions took my baby’s life. Summer’s actions were pure evil.”
[Featured Image by Lorain Police Department]
