Caregiver accused of shaking infant, boy critically injured

By Mary Manning

Thursday, May 14, 2009 | 5:51 p.m.

Blair Hobson

Metro Police have arrested a 19-year-old Las Vegas woman after a 2-month-old boy in her care was hospitalized with head trauma consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Metro officers went to a hospital to investigate a report of an unresponsive infant about 1:30 a.m. Thursday, police said.

Officers learned that the infant had been taken to the hospital by emergency medical crews with injuries consistent with child abuse, police said. Metro's Abuse and Neglect Detail began an investigation into the incident, Officer Barbara Morgan said.

The mother's friend and primary caregiver of the infant has been arrested, police said. She was identified as Blair Hobson and was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on one count of felony child abuse with substantial bodily harm, detention center records show.

The infant remains hospitalized in critical condition, Morgan said. The investigation into the incident continues, police said.

Police don't expect to file charges against the mother of the child, who lives in the same home with the caregiver.

The infant has two siblings, ages 2 and 4 years old, who have been placed into protective custody of Clark County Juvenile authorities until the investigation is complete.