Nanny recorded on video charged

Cary police file child abuse counts

CARY -- A nanny whose rough treatment of two infants was captured on videotape has been charged with two counts of child abuse by Cary police.

Stephanie Merrill, 26, of 104 Hidden Oaks Drive in Cary was videotaped by a "nanny cam" that the children's mother installed in her home Feb. 9. Police say the mother, Lindsay Addison, filed a complaint with them Feb. 12, a day after recording Merrill's handling of her twin boys.

Police and the Wake County District Attorney's Office decided to bring charges after seeing videotape from the entire day, Cary Police Chief Pat Bazemore said. Merrill's behavior included leaving the children unattended on a couch and picking them up by their clothing, Bazemore said.

"It was the totality of things that happened throughout the day" that led to the charges, she said. "The whole pattern of behavior could have put the children at risk."

Portions of tape aired

Parts of the tape have been broadcast locally and nationwide since mid-February, but Cary police say they did not receive a full copy of the video until Feb. 27. Bazemore said that detectives never dropped the case but that it was important for them to see the whole video before making a decision.

"There could have been parts of the video that could have led to more significant charges," she said.

Merrill was charged with two counts of "child abuse putting a child at risk for injury," one for each child. The misdemeanor charges each carry a maximum penalty of 120 days in jail, according to Cary police.

Decision to go public

Addison said she was "relieved" by the decision to charge Merrill, mostly because she thinks it will discourage anyone from hiring Merrill to care for children again.

"My goal of going public with the information was to hopefully prevent her from being a nanny for someone else and possibly harming somebody else's children," she said. "Her going to jail does nothing for me."

Addison, a computer programmer for SAS Institute, said she has made new child-care arrangements for her now 8-month-old twins, Gavin and Bryce. She said two "wonderful people" whom she knows personally are splitting the duty.

"I haven't turned the camera on since they've been here," she said.