Grandmother faces death penalty after toddler's death

There are instances in one’s parenthood when we find ourselves in a tight spot and have to look for an extra pair of hands. During these times we can almost always rely on the help of our relatives.

52-year-old Pietrina Hoffman from Pennsylvania was given the responsibility of taking care of two toddlers, two-month-old Navaeh Doyle and Pietrina’s two-year-old granddaughter.

She was caring for the toddlers at her house when she took sleeping pills and blacked out. The next time she woke up, little Navaeh was dead.

When the police were called, they questioned the 52-year-old woman, and she said that she doesn’t remember the events leading up to toddler’s death.

But when authorities saw that her two-year-old grandchild was almost starved to death, they brought the woman in.

Investigators also accused Hoffman of leaving the baby's dead body on the floor for hours before calling 911. She also allegedly had a cup of coffee and phoned her husband before calling for help.

For her crimes, Hoffman faces the death penalty.

Finding the perfect carer is a long and thorough process, but one that all parents must go through to make sure that the find the best person to care for your children, and to ensure that cases like this don't happen to them.

Don’t know where to start? Here are some pointers:

• Consider finding a candidate through a maid agency that has a solid reputation.
• Interview candidates thoroughly. Ask them specific questions that relate to your family.
• Consider the candidate’s relevant childcare experience. Has this person actually been paid to care for a child before?
• Get at least three childcare related references. These references should not be from family or friends
• Do a background check. A reputable agency will run a background check for you. If you are not using an agency then it is advisable to run your own.

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