Florida baby went into cardiac arrest before doctors uncovered babysitter's 'evil secret'

A Florida woman was arrested in early October for allegedly poisoning an infant she was babysitting with antifreeze.

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A Florida woman was arrested in Georgia for allegedly poisoning an infant she was babysitting with antifreeze, a substance used in a vehicle’s cooling system.

The woman, Anna M. Adamo, 59, faces one count of aggravated child abuse, attempted first-degree murder, and adultering food or drink, the Okeechobee City Police Department said.

She allegedly fled to Lowndes County, Georgia, where she was found and arrested on Oct. 3, and later extradited to Florida.

Local reports say the incident occurred in February at a gated community in Okeechobee, a small town located in south-central Florida. That day, the baby— who had been described as healthy at the time of the incident— grandmother picked him up from Adamo’s house at around 3:25 p.m. and noticed something was wrong.

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The infant, an 11-month-old who was not yet able to crawl, walk, or feed himself, slept for two more hours before his mother retrieved him, which his family said was unusual. The grandmother noticed that the baby seemed to lack awareness, and he was unable to hold his head up. Later, the mother noted that the child began to vomit, describing his fluids as smelly, sticky, and clear in appearance.

That is when the mother rushed her baby to the emergency room at HCA Raulerson Medical Center in Okeechobee. The boy was eventually transferred to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami, where he was placed on life support.

Doctors initially suggested the boy had the flu or pneumonia. But after he went into cardiac arrest and was miraculously resuscitated 10 minutes later, experts overseeing his case concluded that they were dealing with a more serious issue. Following a positive result for oxidized crystal in his urine, specialists determined he either had a genetic disorder or had been poisoned with ethylene glycol, better known as antifreeze.

Further tests ruled out a genetic condition, and inconsistencies in the babysitter’s story led police to categorize Adamo as the prime suspect in this case. Investigators later found two bottles of antifreeze in the woman's home. One was unopened, and the other was allegedly opened and missing 2 ½ cups of fluid.

“The child has since been released from the hospital, though the extent of long-term injuries remains unknown,” police said in a statement provided to NBC affiliate WPTV.

The defendant had allegedly been accused of poisoning a child in her care with antifreeze in 2014, police say. No charges came from that incident, and Adamo allegedly denied it ever taking place.

Adamo’s own son, Aiden, reacted to her arrest, telling news outlets it doesn’t come as a surprise, calling his mother cold, cruel, and “even a monster.”

“She’s in a position where she can no longer harm children,” Aiden told CBS12 News, saying that when he was only 10 or 11 years old, his mother allegedly planted lighters, knives, and even razor blades on him. Her alleged abuse led him to undergo involuntary therapy, hospitalizations, and a wrongful arrest, he added.

“Every day I woke up between the ages of 11 and 14 just dreading the day ahead, terrified of this woman, and just so beyond frustrated that no one would listen to me,” the 23-year-old said.

The child is alive and recovering, though it remains unclear whether he will sustain long-term injuries. As for the woman, she was released on a $600,000 bond on Wednesday.