Toddler Exhausted Every Time Grandma Babysit, When Dad Discovers The Issue Grandma Ends up in PRISON

 

Toddler Exhausted Every Time Grandma Feeds Her; Dad Discovers The Issue With Just One Sip Of Juice

Mike and Carrie couldn’t take their eyes off their baby girl. Her condition was getting worse. She was abnormally sluggish and was running a low fever. Carrie was frantic and distraught as Mike tried to cool the infant’s temperature with a damp cloth.

That was when it dawned on Mike that something was off. Since the time his mother-in-law had started babysitting their child, everything had been going sideways.

Inseparable Mike and Carrie Armstrong, adoring parents to one-year-old Maxine, lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Maxine was the cutest little darling in the world, and Mike felt blessed to be her dad.

It was everything Mike had ever dreamed of having. When Carrie told him she was expecting, he had hoped and prayed for a baby girl. He’d always had a picture in his head of taking his daughter to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers, his favorite team, play.

His dreams were, at long lost, coming true. He was full of anticipation for the day he could take his little girl to a football game – she just had to be a little bit older.

For the time being, Mike and Carrie cherished every moment spent with their one-year-old. Her personality was already so clear; she was a grinning little girl full of joy. But before long, that wouldn’t be the case anymore.

It was getting to the time when Carrie needed to go back to work, so the new parents needed to find a daycare for Maxine. But Carrie was unsettled by the idea of having her daughter surrounded by strangers so soon.

“Honestly, it bothers me that she would be around so many strangers. Why don’t we ask my mom to babysit?” Carrie suggested. “She knows how to look after a baby, and Max adores her grandma.”

Mike wasn’t overjoyed at his wife’s suggestion. While he loved Eleanor, his mother-in-law, he had to admit that she sometimes interfered too much with their lives than he thought appropriate.

But he also had to admit that Maxine was always ecstatic when her grandma came to see her. Eventually, Mike gave in, accepting the arrangement. But he would realize his mistake soon enough.

Carrie’s mom, Eleanor, started looking after Maxine on a regular basis when Carrie went back to work. Initially, the setup seemed to be working perfectly; the little girl always having fun with her grandmother. But as the weeks passed, Mike started noticing some odd things about his daughter’s behavior.

The infant was always exhausted when her parents arrived home, and Mike found himself unable to spend as much time with her as before their routine changed.

Maxine seemed to permanently be exhausted, and her happy personality seemed diminished. The way she previously giggled and played was gone. Now, she predominantly spent her time silently sitting in her grandma’s arms.

Mike started getting increasingly worried. His gut told him that something was very wrong, so he and Carrie took Maxine to the pediatrician to see if she was okay.

But after the doctor’s careful examination, he gave Maxine a clean bill of health. He pointed out that the infant might feel a bit unwell as her teething stage got closer.

Relieved, the weight lifted from Mike and Carrie’s backs. They were immensely grateful that their daughter wasn’t suffering from something horrible. But everything wasn’t going to go back to normal that easily.

At first, it looked like Maxine was getting better again. Yet, two days of laughter and vigor later, she was back to her lethargic behavior.

Mike was immensely worried about his daughter, and he couldn’t figure out why she kept reverting to exhaustion. He wasn’t convinced that this was just because of teething. It seemed like something much more troubling.

Mike brought up his worries with Carrie, but she didn’t agree that Maxine’s behavior had changed that much. “I really think she’s okay. The doctor said to keep an eye out for teething, and I don’t think there’s anything else the matter,” she said.

But Mike was uncertain about that. Maxine didn’t seem to be improving any more than before, and he was determined to find out why.

A small voice in his head told him that Eleanor was somehow involved. Maybe she wasn’t putting down the baby for her naps at the right time, but maybe it was something completely different.

In either case, he was going to solve the problem at all costs. He decided he would confront Eleanor as soon as he got back from work. This needed to stop now.

Doubt had crept into his mind when Mike made the connection that Maxine had been behaving oddly since Eleanor started babysitting regularly. He hoped that his mother-in-law was consistently giving the baby the teething medication the pediatrician had prescribed.

But when he brought up his concerns about Maxine’s health with Eleanor, she promised that she was taking every precaution with the baby’s care and that he didn’t need to be worried about it.

Eleanor revealed that she’d been mixing special herbal teas into Maxine’s juice in her sippy cup. She hoped that this would contribute positively to the baby girl’s general well-being.

Mike was initially uncertain about this, but after some research, he discovered that small amounts of herbal tea wouldn’t impact babies’ health. He decided he would take Eleanor at her word. It pained him to see his daughter suffer, so he prayed that Eleanor’s remedies would help.

Yet, as the days stretched into weeks, Maxine didn’t get any better. Rather, her health seemed to be worsening. Her weight was steadily plummeting, and her skin was permanently pale. Her once-bright eyes had turned vacant, and fear consumed Mike and Carrie.

There was no way this was just a side effect of teething. Soon, the Armstrongs started looking for alternatives.

Carrie proposed that they take Maxine back to the pediatrician, but Eleanor protested fiercely. She was adamant that the herbal teas would improve Maxine’s health if they were just patient.

Mike was conflicted, caught between loyalty to his wife and the doubts he was feeling about his mother-in-law. He made the decision to handle the situation himself. On a day that Eleanor wasn’t home, he took Maxine back to the doctor in secret.

When the doctor began his checkup of Maxine, he was stunned. He found that the weight loss and sluggishness they’d seen were because of acute malnutrition. The baby was immediately rushed to the hospital for a more thorough examination and treatment.

Mike felt like his whole world was crumbling. He was furious with himself for not taking action sooner, and now his baby girl was in worse shape than they’d thought.

Mike could have sworn that his heart dropped into his stomach when the doctor shared the harrowing discovery. Maxine meant everything to him, and now she was in a critical condition.

He struggled to understand how this had happened. This wasn’t something that could come out of nowhere. He and Carrie had done everything they could to make sure their baby was thriving. But then his thoughts caught on Eleanor. What had she been forcing on Maxine when he wasn’t there?

Mike was inconsolable as he sat in the waiting room at the hospital room. He struggled to come to grips with the fact that his baby girl had been suffering so much right in front of him. How hadn’t he realized sooner? He was completely bewildered by everything that had happened.

He and his wife made sure the baby got breakfast and dinner every day. He had believed that Eleanor was responsibly feeding her in between, throughout the day, but now he wasn’t so sure. What had she exposed their child to?

His thoughts went to the herbal teas his mother-in-law had been giving Maxine. When he originally looked into it, they had seemed reasonably harmless, but now he was starting to doubt that.

Could the grandmother be adding in something else that she kept secret from the parents? Maxine had been in perfect health and a happy baby before her grandmother became a major figure in her care. Mike was determined to figure out what was going on.

He considered the weird symptoms Maxine had exhibited. She had been better over the weekends when her parents were taking care of her alone, but when Eleanor took over on weekdays, the baby was lethargic and irritable. There had also been a few occasions when she got sick.

Mike wasn’t sure how to process it all. He had always believed that Eleanor loved and cared for Maxine, but he was starting to question that. What reason could she have for hurting her granddaughter?

His gut was persistent that something was wrong. Since the day Eleanor had taken over part-time care for the baby, he’d felt like there was something unsettling about his mother-in-law. Carrie had reassured him over and over that things were all good, but it was obvious that they weren’t anymore.

He was certain that the grandmother had ulterior motives, and his baby girl was having to endure the repercussions. He prayed that it wasn’t too late for his daughter.

Mike couldn’t fight the feeling that he had let his daughter down. He had been unsure about Carrie’s suggestion that Eleanor could babysit Maxine instead of sending her to daycare, and he should have stood his ground.

But what could really be happening when they left their baby daughter with her grandmother? Mike had thought that Eleanor loved little Maxine, but he was increasingly frightened that something dangerous was happening.

Wordlessly sitting next to her husband, Carrie was consumed by a multitude of conflicting emotions. From his expression, she knew that Mike was heartbroken.

While she was reluctant to say the words, she had been having similar suspicions to her husband. Even though she felt a deep love for her mom, Maxine was her priority now. She was entirely sure that she and Mike weren’t causing the problem. Her mother had to be the guilty party.

The world shook under Carrie’s feet as anxiety filled her. The doctor had taken Maxine to have tests done, and all the worried parents could do was wait. Mike softly put a comforting hand on Carrie’s back, seeing the devastation on her face.

“It’s going to be okay, honey. He’s the best pediatrician in the entire state. He’ll take good care of her,” he tried to reassure her – and himself.

“I know, I know. She’s going to be fine,” she convinced herself weakly. Her tears hadn’t stopped since the pediatrician broke the news. “I just don’t get how this could happen out of nowhere. I thought we had been taking such good care of her.” She exhaled shakily.

“I don’t think we’re responsible for this,” Mike admitted, and Carrie knew that his suspicions were true. But the next moment, the doctor came walking up to them.

“She’s improved a little bit. We’ve put her on a drip, and for now, she’s getting some rest. We’d like her to gain a few pounds over the next couple of days.” the doctor said kindly. He was being compassionate with them, clearly realizing how fragile the parents were with anxiety.

Mike took a deep, shaky breath. For now, he was just happy that she was okay. But he was still in disbelief at the whole situation.

Mike and Carrie stayed at the hospital that whole night, ignoring the calls coming through from Eleanor. Carrie felt sick at the thought of talking to her mom right now. Her emotions were unstable and all-consuming, and she knew how disastrous that conversation would be right now.

The worried parents didn’t sleep a wink, eagerly awaiting another update from the doctors. Their fears weren’t gone just because Maxine’s condition had been stabilized.

Early the next day, Carrie went home from the hospital. The endless night of worrying about their baby girl had exhausted her, and she needed sleep. But Mike was well aware that he couldn’t bring himself to rest while his daughter suffered. He could only sit there doing nothing while he waited for more news.

Baby Maxine managed to sleep through the night without waking, and the next update on her health from the doctor only came mid-morning.

“Maxine has improved some more overnight. We’d like to keep her here a bit longer until her nutrition levels are back to normal,” the doctor told Mike. He was comforted by the good news. “I think you should go home, join your wife, and get some sleep. Your daughter is going to be fine,” the doctor said.

Tears threatened to fall as Mike walked out of the hospital. He’d been awake for more than 36 hours by now, and he was not feeling well at all.

As soon as he was in his car, he decided to call his wife. He knew she would want to know any news on their daughter’s condition as soon as possible. He could tell from her voice that his call had woken her. “Honey? Is everything alright?” she asked drowsily.

He let her in on the good news: Maxine’s condition was fully stable, and all they could do now was get some sleep and wait for her to recover fully.

Carrie was relieved, but she still felt sick to her stomach. Waking up, she remembered who was responsible for her daughter’s sudden illness. Her heart ached at the realization.

She, too, felt terrible about it. She was the one who begged Mike to let her mother babysit for them. “I hope you know how sorry I am,” she told her husband over the phone, which made his heart shatter in his chest. It was a tough situation for both of them.

The doctors worked tirelessly to stabilize Maxine’s condition, and over time, she slowly began to recover. Mike and Carrie were relieved that their daughter was on the mend, but their trust in Eleanor had been shattered.

Mike knew that Eleanor couldn’t be trusted. He didn’t want her anywhere near his daughter. She had caused enough damage with her silly herbal concoctions.

The drama escalated when Carrie insisted on confronting her mother. A heated argument ensued, and the rift between mother and daughter deepened. Eleanor remained convinced that her herbal remedies were working and that she had done nothing wrong.

“It made Maxine sick! Stop saying that it was helping her, Mom!” Carrie yelled. At that moment, Carrie picked up the herbs and threw them on the kitchen floor.

In the midst of the family turmoil, Mike couldn’t help but feel responsible for not intervening sooner. He was torn between his loyalty to his wife and his desire to protect Maxine.

He knew that rebuilding trust within the family would take time. Once again, Eleanor’s meddling ways had cost them dearly. Mike was beyond furious.

As Maxine slowly but steadily regained her health in the hospital, the family drama continued to unfold. Carrie was furious with her mother, and the once-strong bond between them seemed irreparably broken. Mike was determined to ensure Eleanor faced the consequences of her actions.

With Maxine’s health and well-being at the forefront, Mike consulted with an attorney to explore their legal options. They decided to file a case against Eleanor for child endangerment, as it was clear that her unverified herbal remedies had put Maxine’s life in jeopardy.

The legal proceedings added more strain to the already-fractured family. The tension between Carrie and Eleanor escalated as they were drawn into court battles and arguments about Maxine’s future.

Mike remained resolute in his decision to protect his daughter and make sure Eleanor paid for her actions. He was not going to let her get away with this.

Eleanor reached out to her own lawyers to counter-sue. She felt like they were being unreasonable by keeping her away from her only grandchild.

To her, she was only doing what she thought was best at that moment. She never meant to harm her granddaughter, and now Carrie and Mike were treating it like she did it on purpose.

The legal battle between the Armstrongs and Eleanor became a sensational courtroom drama that attracted media attention. The family’s story was plastered across headlines, and everyone had an opinion on who was right and who was wrong.

Mike and Carrie were determined to protect Maxine from any further harm, while Eleanor maintained that she had only acted out of love and concern for her grandchild. The courtroom battles were emotionally draining for all parties involved.

The story was splashed all over social media, and people began picking sides in the saga. On the one end, many people sided with Mike and Carrie, and in their opinion, they were right to seek legal action.

“Eleanor was a danger to that child’s life. Who knows what could have happened if the father didn’t secretly take the baby to the doctor?” one post read.

On the other end, many people from the herbal treatment community sided with Eleanor, and they believed that she was just trying to help her already sick granddaughter.

“She was just using the power of nature and herbs to treat her precious granddaughter. She did nothing wrong. I don’t believe it was the herbs that made her sick. I strongly believe that that baby had an underlying condition,” one woman said in her post.

The Armstrong family could no longer take the social media posts that people were sending to them. Some of them were in support, and others ridiculed them as parents.

Carrie couldn’t take much more of it, and it was taking a toll on her mental health. Mike now had to not only take care of his sick daughter but also had to look out for the well-being of his wife.

Eventually, the court reached a verdict, and Eleanor was found guilty of child endangerment. She was sentenced to probation and ordered to stay away from Maxine for a period of six months.

It was a heartbreaking choice for Carrie, who was torn between her love for her mother and her desire to protect her daughter.

The family divide deepened as Carrie chose to abide by the court’s orders to ensure Maxine’s safety. She visited Eleanor occasionally, but their relationship would never be the same again.

Mike and Carrie, determined to rebuild their lives and ensure Maxine had the best care possible, began seeking the help of experienced childcare providers. They found a trustworthy nanny who genuinely cared for Maxine and provided the love and attention she needed to thrive.

Maxine slowly started to regain her strength, and her cheerful personality returned. With the love and support of her parents, she began to grow into a bubbly, bouncy toddler.

The trauma of her early experiences was slowly fading, and her future looked bright once again. And even though Eleanor promised to be very careful with Max,ine, Mike and Carrie knew that it would take some time before she was allowed back into Maxine’s life. But they were willing to give it a try.

As a family, they embraced the lessons learned from this dramatic chapter in their lives, making sure to prioritize their daughter’s well-being above all else.

And, while the scars of the past remained, they were determined to move forward together, forging a new beginning that would be filled with happiness, love, and a renewed sense of trust.

Disclaimer: This story was handcrafted with love by a creative novelist to thrill and entertain, mirroring real-life situations to awaken your imagination and evoke profound emotions. All events, places, and characters are products of the author’s imagination, and all images and videos are used for illustrative purposes only. We hope you enjoyed reading it just as much as we enjoyed writing it!