Police: Columbia baby-sitter’s abuse killed boy

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A Columbia woman has been arrested after a toddler in her care died last weekend.

Police said Thursday that 34-year-old Margie Hamm had been charged with homicide by child abuse.

Authorities say Hamm slammed 2-year-old Jayon Wilson Turnipseed’s head into a bathtub faucet while she was babysitting him May 18. Richland County Coroner Gary Watts says the boy was having trouble breathing, but Hamm told authorities she put him to bed anyway.

The boy died overnight. His father got home late from work and found his son unresponsive the next morning.

Emergency workers found no obvious injuries, but Watts said he saw a mark near the boy’s nose.

Hamm told police the boy ran into a door. She was jailed Thursday, and it wasn’t known if she had an attorney.