No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveTica Sentenced for Shaking U.S. Baby

Tica Sentenced for Shaking U.S. Baby

Ligia María Naranjo, 29, was sentenced Sunday to 10 years in jail for mistreating a five-month-old baby who was in her care when the Costa Rican woman worked as a nanny in Boulder, Colorado.

In exchange for a reduced six- to 10-year sentence, Naranjo pled guilty July 28 to two counts of child abuse resulting in serious bodily injury, according to an online story by the Daily Times-Call, a northern Colorado newspaper.

Boulder police arrested Naranjo March 8, after her employers, Christina and Sean McLaughlin, took their baby, Von, to a local hospital.

Doctors determined Von had suffered bleeding on the brain on two occasions, and a broken collarbone, both likely results of shaken-baby syndrome, the Daily Times-Call reported.Von is now developing normally.

Naranjo had been taking care of Von and the couple’s other young son since January. Sean McLaughlin told investigators Naranjo said she shook the baby to make sure he was OK, the Daily Times-Call reported. Naranjo apologized in court Sept. 8, saying she never meant to hurt the baby.

Naranjo’s parents, who live in Moravia, northeast of San José, visited Boulder to be with her during her court dates, the daily La Nación reported. The former Sunday school teacher and aspiring art student’s Web profile, profile.xanga.com/liblue, apparently created before the March 8 incident, listed among her interests God, Starbucks, Colorado, photography and “Delaney and Von of course!! My two lil’ angels… so cuute!”

 

Trending Now

Costa Rica Tamales Season Tips Every Tourist Should Know

As the year winds down and the air fills with the scent of banana leaves and seasoned masa, tamales season has officially arrived in...

What to Expect at Costa Rica’s El Tope Parade

Thousands of riders and spectators gather today for El Tope Nacional, marking the Day of the Horseman in Costa Rica. This year, the event...

Whooping Cough Spreads Faster in Costa Rica This Year

Health authorities in Costa Rica report a steady climb in pertussis cases throughout 2025, prompting alerts for residents and visitors alike. The Ministry of...

Costa Rica Mandates Mangrove Restoration at RIU Guanacaste Hotel

Costa Rica's Environmental Administrative Tribunal has issued a directive for the RIU Guanacaste hotel complex to repair mangrove and forest areas harmed during its...

OIJ Arrests Suspect in Deadly San José Hotel Oriente Fire

Authorities arrested a 42-year-old man this week in connection with the deadly fire at Hotel Oriente that claimed five lives in early October. The...

El Salvador Advances Chivo Wallet Sale Despite Bukele’s Bitcoin Buying Pledge

The International Monetary Fund has revealed that El Salvador is advancing talks to sell its state-owned Chivo digital wallet, a move that signals shifts...
Avatar
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica