Baby makes ‘blood-curdling scream’ when day care worker slams her, WI cops say

A day care worker is accused of breaking an arm of 3-month-old child in her care, Wisconsin authorities say.

Ashley Karschnick, a 32-year-old caretaker at Lily Pad Day Care in Fond du Lac, is now charged with child abuse following the Oct. 13 incident, court records show.

The Fond du Lac Police Department said the baby’s injury was discovered when they were picked up from the day care and taken to a hospital.

Surveillance footage from the day care revealed Karschnick had been getting “more and more frustrated” during the day, leading to her slamming the baby onto a crib, causing it to rock side to side, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WBAY.

Police said that when the worker checked on the baby minutes later, the infant let out a “blood-curdling scream” and was gasping for air, WFRV reported.

When the baby’s injury was observed in the video, WGBA reported the baby’s arm appeared to be “floppy,” according to the complaint.

The child’s mother was called for pickup a little more than an hour later, and doctors determined the baby’s fracture was “consistent with inflicted trauma and child physical abuse,” WGBA reported, citing investigators.

Karschnick was arrested a week after the incident, police said. Court records show she was formally charged Oct. 23.

“The safety and well-being of our community’s children will always be our highest priority,” Lt. Nick Hahn said in a statement. “We understand how deeply troubling cases like this are, and we remain committed to thorough investigations, transparency, and accountability.”

The day care and an attorney listed for Karschnick could not immediately be reached for a request for comment Oct. 27 by McClatchy News.

Karschnick is due in court Oct. 28 for her initial appearance, court records show.

Fond du Lac is about a 67-mile drive northwest from Milwaukee.

This story was originally published October 27, 2025 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Baby makes ‘blood-curdling scream’ when day care worker slams her, WI cops say."