Nanny charged with child abuse after caught on video punching, shaking baby, CA prosecutors say
IRVINE, Calif. -- A nanny for a California family is facing several counts of child abuse after she was captured on video repeatedly striking and "violently shaking" a young baby over several weeks, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Iara Dossantos Bomfim, 29, fled to Brazil in July after the baby's mother discovered the alleged abuse recorded on the family's nanny cam, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.
"On July 11, 2026, the baby's mother checked her nanny cam footage after she heard her three-month-old son scream and went into the nursery to see if he was ok. Bomfim assured her everything was fine, but when the baby's mother reviewed the nanny cam footage she saw Bomfim sitting on a yoga ball and violently bouncing the baby as his head and neck bounced back and forth and side to side. Bomfim is then seen punching the baby in the back of the head with a closed fist," the D.A.'s office said in a press release.
The footage allegedly shows Bomfim "violently punching, hitting and shaking the baby" starting June 17, when the baby was just 2 months and 10 days old. The alleged abuse continued until he was just over 3 months old.
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She was arrested Friday after returning from Brazil and was attempting to set up another account on Care.com to advertise her nanny services, prosecutors said.
She has been charged with 10 felony counts of child abuse.
Bomfim has pleaded not guilty and is being held on $500,000 bail. If convicted on all counts, she faces a maximum sentence of 18 years in state prison.
