( from ny dailynews)It is a frightening possibility that has haunted a Manhattan mother's dreams - she may have sent "monster" nanny Noella Allick to care for newborn Sarah Jane Donohue.
The 34-year-old mother was a reference for Allick, and thinks she offered up a good review to Vanessa Donohue, Sarah's mother.
"I'm horrified," she told the Daily News. "I don't sleep at night. I can't stop thinking about this. It's horrifying."
Allick has confessed to violently shaking Sarah in June in the Donohues' Manhattan apartment when Sarah was just days old, according to court documents.
Sarah was left with brain damage and multiple broken bones.
Allick, 29, also has confessed to shaking a Nassau County baby, one of a set of twins.
The mother, who spoke to The News on the condition of anonymity, couldn't have known any of this when she agreed to be a reference for Allick.
Investigators reached out to the woman about a month ago, and she immediately had a doctor examine her own daughter.
"Thank God my daughter is okay," she said, adding that she has been praying daily for Sarah.
She hired Allick after her daughter was born in July 2004. She told The News she felt comfortable with Allick, recalling how the hulking woman sang to her daughter.
Allick worked full time for the woman for about two months, and then worked occasionally when the family made weekend trips to their vacation home. That ended about four months ago.
The mother said she first wanted to hire Allick's cousin, a baby nurse who had glowing recommendations from several of her friends, but she was unavailable.
The cousin recommended Allick. The mother hired Allick without making any further reference checks, she said.
"I must be too trusting," she said. "I can't believe this happened. I'm embarrassed. I'm really embarrassed."
The businesswoman said she would have difficulty hiring another baby nurse - a title used by glorified baby-sitters such as Allick who are not licensed nurses but who have taken basic infant care courses.
Now the woman has a nanny but takes precautions.
"My entire apartment is rigged with cameras," she said. "I've learned you can't trust anyone. I'm uncomfortable with baby-sitters. I never go out anymore."
really bad people out there... how the hell do you do this to a child only DAYS old? ( heard only 5 days old)
