Charges Dropped Against Baby-Sitter in Death

Charges of involuntary manslaughter and child abuse were dismissed Tuesday against a 53-year-old babysitter who was accused of shaking a 3-month-old boy to death.

Prosecutors withdrew their case against Dora Kerr of Los Angeles after the county coroner’s office concluded that young Aaron Abernathy died from injuries sustained while being bounced on his sitter’s knee. Such conduct is not considered criminal and there was insufficient evidence to show that Kerr intended to hurt the infant, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Fred Klink, who is in charge of the sex crimes and child abuse unit.

The county’s Child Death Review Committee has been reviewing the case to determine if the investigation was mishandled by the coroner’s office, which disposed of the baby’s brain--a key piece of evidence. But Klink said he does not believe the case was bungled. “I don’t think there was any evidence that a crime was committed,” he said.