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‘The Look on Her Face Is Indifferent': Parents Face Babysitter in Court

The sitter apologized for not initially telling the truth, but panicked and shook Calin in an attempt to revive him after tripping with the child in her arms.

The parents of Calin Samora have been waiting for their day in court for two years, and on Wednesday finally face the babysitter who they say shook their child so severly that he can't talk or walk.

Lori Reed and Gilbert Samora said it was difficult to see the babysitter's face again on Wednesday.

"The look on her face is indifferent," Lori said. "It's very hard to sit there and know how much my son suffered at her hands."

The babysitter, 34-year-old Monica Rezonable, was charged with child abuse and assault after the baby was found unresponsive in her care in 2013. 

Calin suffered a subdural hematoma, which left him partially blind, unable to walk or talk. He needs constant medical care, his parents said.

Calin suffers 20 seizures a day, his parents said. 

Lori was the first to testify in the preliminary hearing. 

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Gilbert shared his frustration with the long court process.

"She has freedom," Gilbert said. "She spent one night in jail then bailed out. My son has no freedom. He can't walk, he can't talk - he has no real freedom."

Calin’s parents said it all began when Rezonable was watching the child as Lori worked from home.

The sitter allegedly came to Lori and told her that she found Calin unresponsive in his swing, according to the Samoras.

Then, Lori said, the sitter blamed Calin’s older sister Ellie, saying she hit the baby on the head with a plastic toy.

Ellie was 20 months old at the time.

The babysitter's attorney, Sharon Beth Marshall, issued a statement saying Calin's injuries were the result of "an accidental slip, fall and drop."

Rezonable apologized for not initially telling the truth, but panicked and shook Calin in an attempt to revive him, according to Marshall.

Marshall also said the prosecution's theory of shaken baby syndrome "doesn't make sense."

But Calin’s parents say the sitter changed her story too many times to be believed.

"Had this been a tragic accident, most of us would've done the right thing immediately, got him help immediately,” Samora said. “Not lied about it and blamed a 20 month old." 

On Thursday, both sides will present expert witnesses who will testify on shaken baby syndrome.

The defense's expert is expected to say Calin's injuries are the result of an accident and not shaken baby syndrome.

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