Day Care Owner Pleads Not Guilty

Day Care Owner pleads not guilty Dec 23 2005 12:00AM By

A day care owner charged with first-degree assault after injuries to a 5-monthold boy were discovered while in her care pleaded not guilty in Coffee County Circuit Court Monday. Julia Katrina Watkins pleaded not guilty and waived her right to an arraignment. A court date was not set, but the case was referred to the active trial docket. Watkins, who operated Tweet Tarts Day Care on Seay Street, was arrested Aug. 24 in connection with injuries suffered by Jake Garrett, who spent a week in and out of hospitals for bruises he allegedly received while in Watkins’ care. Reports said the child’s mother, Jamie, was called to come to the day care Aug. 17 and was told that Jake fell out of bed. Garrett immediately took Jake to Medical Center Enterprise. He was transferred to Flowers Hospital in Dothan and then to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. Doctors there determined Jake suffered from shaken baby syndrome and that he did not fall. The child has reportedly since recovered from the immediate injuries. Shaken baby syndrome generally occurs when an infant is violently shaken on purpose or accidentally, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. This shaking can cause very serious brain injury, hemorrhaging, eye damage, spinal cord damage, paralysis, developmental delays and even death, according to the AAP. Watkins has not operated the day care since her arrest. She was recently indicted by a Coffee County Grant Jury.