Desiree Rentz Gave Cough Syrup To 9MO In Unlicensed Daycare She Ran Out Of 1-Bedroom Apt. With More Than A Dozen Children

[Sugar Cookie]

The St. Petersburg Police Department said around 1:46 p.m. on July 25, 2024, officers were called to Desiree Rentz's apartment when the 9-month-old baby, identified as Timothy David Smith, would not wake up from a nap.

Later, the Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy and said that Smith was given cough syrup that was not recommended for children under age four, without the parents' knowledge or consent.

During an investigation, police learned that on the day of Smith's death, 31-year-old Rentz was running a "daycare" with more than a dozen children inside her one-bedroom unit located at The Reserve at Lake Pointe Apartments.

Police said she misrepresented herself to parents as a licensed daycare operator. The Florida Department of Health and DCF both confirmed she never had a daycare license. Instead, the licenses she displayed on her wall were for temporary foster care with a capacity of one.

Woman charged in baby's death at 'daycare' she ran in 1-bedroom apartment: SPPD

A woman was arrested after a baby died at the "daycare" she was running inside her one-bedroom apartment in St. Petersburg, according to police.

www.abcactionnews.com

"One of the other things that made it a complex investigation is that a lot of the children at the home were relatives of the person providing the care," Halstead told FOX 13. "So certainly, as the detectives started their interviews and inquiries, it was a fine line between what information to share and then trying to figure out exactly what happened."

Rentz and the victim were not related, SPPD added.

Rentz faces charges of aggravated manslaughter of a child and misrepresenting a day care facility resulting in death.

St. Pete woman charged in death of baby at unlicensed day care

A woman faces charges, including aggravated manslaughter, after St. Petersburg police say she misrepresented herself as a licensed day care operator, and a 9-month-old boy died in her care.

www.fox13news.com

 

[BuffettGirl]

Why do people do these horrifically stupid things? Babysit for six, especially in a ONE BEDROOM APRTMENT. No one human being can watch over a dozen babies successfully!

 

[Aedia]

If you leave your kids at a "daycare" ran from someone's home, ASK FOR PROOF OF THEIR LICENSE! There are people who run them perfectly well. But make sure they at least have the qualifications to watch multiple children there!

Why do people do these horrifically stupid things? Babysit for six, especially in a ONE BEDROOM APRTMENT. No one human being can watch over a dozen babies successfully!

Absolutely true. I interned (later worked) for a church daycare where some of the kids in my school had their own children in. One day, like she had before, the main caregiver that I worked with told me to watch the kids while she got lunch ready. It went fine...until one little boy decided he wanted to run out of the room. I'm handicapped, I can't run as fast as a child, but adrenaline had me bolting after him. Then he went to the area in front where you check in and was eying the front door - it was so icy outside and we were located by a main street and all I could think is, "My crippled ass will never be able to catch him out there! He's gonna get hit before I catch him!" So I took advantage of his momentary distraction and snatched him up. I'll admit, it was a bit rough, not out of anger, but absolute terror. Unfortunately, a parent is what distracted the kid and I got a huge chewing out for how I grabbed him. I told the main caregiver I was NEVER watching those kids alone again. Not even for 5 minutes. All it takes is one deciding to get testy and it's over.