18-Year-Old Daycare Worker Accused of Shaking 5-Month-Old Baby for 35 Seconds, Leaving Infant With Brain Damage

An 18-year-old daycare worker in Idaho is facing four felony charges after prosecutors revealed disturbing allegations of violence against four infants under her care. One 5-month-old baby reportedly endured 35 seconds of continuous shaking, along with other alleged acts that left the child with broken bones and brain injuries. Even more troubling, prosecutors say the incidents were captured on surveillance video inside the daycare center.

Maria “Mia” Ackerman, a former employee of New Horizon Academy in Boise, was arrested after an investigation into an incident reported on October 26, 2026. According to Boise police, detectives received a referral from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare the following day after concerns were raised about an infant who had suffered injuries at the facility. As investigators examined the case, they reportedly uncovered evidence of aggressive interactions involving three additional babies.

During Ackerman’s court appearance, Ada County Prosecutor Joshua Haws described what investigators allegedly saw in the surveillance footage. He told the court that Ackerman violently shook one infant, covered babies’ noses and mouths, restricted their breathing and repeatedly struck them with open and closed fists. She was also accused of grabbing infants by their faces or heads, squeezing their necks, throwing one child into a cushioned area and swinging another by the neck. In one incident, an infant reportedly fell from a changing table after being left unsecured. Rather than checking the baby for injuries, Ackerman allegedly placed the child back in a sitting position and walked away.

The most serious allegations involved the 5-month-old boy. Prosecutors said the infant was shaken for more than a minute in total, including 35 seconds of continuous shaking. Haws described how Ackerman allegedly picked the baby up by the neck, pressed the child’s face against her chest while squeezing tightly, then swung the infant around and squeezed again. The prosecutor told the court that the baby’s injuries included a fractured rib, a broken tibia and brain damage associated with oxygen deprivation. Although the injuries were severe, the infant was expected to survive, according to the prosecutor.

The investigation reportedly began after a coworker entered a room and noticed unusual behavior between Ackerman and the baby. The employee then reviewed footage from the room and observed what appeared to be aggressive treatment. The daycare subsequently reported the incident to police and state licensing authorities and contacted the affected families. New Horizon Academy said Ackerman was immediately removed from the facility and fired. The center also stated that it was cooperating with the investigation and that the alleged behavior was unacceptable.

Ackerman, 18, now faces four felony counts of injury to a child. She was booked into the Ada County Jail, and a judge set her bond at $1 million. Her preliminary hearing was scheduled for November 12, 2026. Police have notified the parents of the other three infants, who are also seeking medical evaluations. Investigators are continuing to review available surveillance footage to determine whether additional children may have been harmed. Ackerman has not been convicted, and the allegations will be addressed through the court process. For the families involved, the investigation has raised deeply troubling questions about how children entrusted to professional caregivers could allegedly be subjected to such treatment.

Sources: Law&Crime: