Bodycam footage of mum learning babysitter allegedly murdered her infant
The emotional scene unfolded in Pekin, Illinois, on June 26, 2024, when Branda Nichelle learnt the tragic news outside the home of her infant daughter Sylvie Zacovic's babysitter, 22-year-old Makenna Rhodes.
Rhodes is due to stand trial for the alleged murder in October, with the disturbing bodycam footage expected to play a key role in the case.
In the clip, Ms Nichelle can be seen coming home from work after Rhodes called her to let her know Sylvie was allegedly unresponsive in her cot.
Police and paramedics were already at the home, and as they let the mum know her daughter was in a gravely serious condition and was being taken to the hospital, she began screaming.
'Oh my god, oh my God,' she cried in the heartbreaking footage.
'She's just … oh my God.'
Rhodes, who was in the house with her boyfriend, then tried to comfort the mum, but Ms Nichelle brushed her off before getting into the back of the police car to go to the hospital.
Tragically, Sylvie was pronounced dead 30 minutes later.
Elsewhere in the footage, a police officer is seen on the phone relaying information. 'The babysitter is hysterical,' he said. 'She said she laid the kid down at 10 something … came up at like 12:45 and the child was blue.
'Babysitter's boyfriend is super calm … there's some things that are kind of up in the air right now.'
In separate footage from the same day, Rhodes and her boyfriend were interrogated by police in separate rooms.
Rhodes denied she had any involvement in the death, but told police that the infant had been 'fussy' and refused to sleep.
She was caring for four children that day, including her infant son, and told investigators she had left Sylvie with her boyfriend for about 10 minutes before the child was found unresponsive.
However, he insisted he had been sleeping until Rhodes woke him in a panic.
When faced with accusations from police about lying, he referenced text messages Rhodes had sent from the police station, attempting to align their stories.
'I told (the investigator) you had Sylvie for 10 mins,' Rhodes messaged him.
He replied: 'I told her I didn't have her or seen her today'.
'Just say you did,' she responded.
'I'm not lying, Kenna,' he sent back.
The couple were allowed to leave, but just two days later, an autopsy revealed the cause of death was asphyxiation.
Sylvie suffered abrasions on the inside of her upper lip, which are injuries consistent with pressure being applied to her face.
Rhodes was arrested and told police she was 'scared' as she was handcuffed and charged with murder.
Rhodes later admitted in a probable cause affidavit to suffocating the infant with a small blanket attached to a stuffed animal, as she forced a dummy into her mouth.
Rhodes allegedly admitted to holding the blanket over Sylvie's face until she closed her eyes and stopped crying.
She also admitted that her claims that her boyfriend had been with the infant at the time were made up and she was the only one in the room.
The boyfriend was never charged with any wrongdoing.
Rhodes' trial is scheduled to start on October 7, and she has pleaded not guilty.
If found guilty, she could face up to 100 years in prison.
On the first anniversary of Sylvie's tragic death, Ms Nichelle posted a heartfelt tribute on social media, describing the moment she was caught on bodycam footage screaming as 'the worst day of my life'.
'There are no words for how much I miss her. I will never get to see my baby girl's smile again, hear her laugh, or watch her take her first steps,' she said.
'I hate that someone else's actions caused this. My daughter is gone because of what someone else did – and all we can do now is hope that justice is served.'
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