Babysitter charged with battery, neglect in death of Indiana baby

A woman has been charged with battery and neglect in the death of an 8-month-old baby she was babysitting last year in northwest Indiana.

Trisha Woodworth, 26, was charged with aggravated battery, neglect of a dependent resulting in death and battery resulting in death to a person less than 14 years of age, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office.

About 1:30 p.m. on April 15, 2016, sheriff’s officers responded to a home in the 2200 block of West 41st Avenue in Gary to assist paramedics with 8-month-old Maci Moor, who was breathing but unresponsive, according to the sheriff’s office.

She was taken to Methodist Hospital Northlake in Gary and later flown by helicopter to Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago, according to the sheriff’s office.

Maci, who lived in the 6600 block of Montana Avenue in Hammond, died at Comer at 12:27 p.m. April 19, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

An initial autopsy did not rule on her cause or manner of death, but police announced in June that further investigation found she died of closed head injuries due to child abuse, and ruled her death a homicide.

The sheriff’s Special Victims Unit investigated and found that Woodworth, the girl’s babysitter, was responsible for Maci’s care when she most likely suffered the injuries that resulted in her death, according to the sheriff’s office.

Woodworth, of Gary, posted her $5,000 bond Tuesday and was released, according to the sheriff’s office. She is due back in court April 5.