Nanny must get public defender

Stephen Curran

Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2005 | 9:20 a.m.

When the nanny facing felony child abuse charges for allegedly shaking a Henderson baby made her first appearance in Henderson Justice Court on Tuesday, the parents of the child were there to call for more scrutiny of people who get paid to care for children.

Justice of the Peace Rodney Burr referred the case against the nanny, 24-year-old Bethany Ford, to the public defender's office because she had no lawyer Tuesday for her brief arraignment.

Burr set Ford's preliminary hearing for March 1. She remained free Tuesday on $6,000 bail.

Ford was charged with two counts of felony child abuse after she allegedly shook 3-month-old Ryan Kuckler on Dec. 28, causing a skull fracture and acute bleeding in the infant's brain.

Ryan returned home Jan. 6 after spending more than a week in pediatric intensive care at University Medical Center. He still faces a battery of eye and nerve tests by a team of specialists who will track his development.

Ryan's mother, public relations professional Paula Yakubik, who was flanked by friends and family members during the proceeding, said in a press conference after the arraignment that her son's condition is improving.

Yakubik, who said she has not spoken to Ford since the former nanny's arrest, called for more extensive mental health screening of possible nannies but would not comment on whether she thought the Las Vegas placement agency her family used to hire Ford, Nannies and Housekeepers USA, was to blame.

Ford was not available for comment after the proceeding.

The family, who sent out a press release before Ford's court appearance Tuesday, has also made several local television and newspaper appearances, a move Yakubik said would remind other families to more carefully screen those working in their homes.