Raising children is no easy task. Every parent knows that it takes a lot of money, time, and effort to ensure that their little ones are safe and well-cared for. Whitney and Chris Matney of Springdale, Arkansas, knew this when they welcomed their first child, Raylee, in 2011.

So, when they decided to find a nanny to help them care for their daughter, they went through the necessary steps to find the perfect match for their small family. But nothing could’ve prepared them for the harrowing experience that followed next.

Searching For A Nanny

It all began in October 2012. Raylee was then almost a year old and her mom had started a search for a nanny to look over her as the latter returned to school. And so, Whitney posted a call for applicants on Facebook.

Her choice to turn to social media to find candidates is no surprise. The popular site has a lot of mommy groups that could point her in the right direction. Besides, her friends list was likely filled with people she already knew. Hiring someone familiar wouldn’t hurt, right?

A Familiar Face

Soon enough, Melissa Medema got in touch with Whitney. Medema happened to be one of the first-time mother’s former high school classmates. Despite being relieved to find an acquaintance who’s interested in the job at hand, Whitney did her due diligence and vetted the applicant.

It may seem like overkill to some, but you just never know. Their schooldays were already a decade behind them at the time, with both women being in their late 20s. Medema was still a stranger that the couple would be letting into their home and leaving with their child.

Taking Proper Precautions

Child care experts like Katie Vaughan, who owns a nanny agency in California, advises parents to take plenty of time to find the right person. She even suggests a four to a six-week time frame for the entire hiring process.

Doing so would give them the opportunity to properly narrow down their candidate list, contact references, and even do background checks. Couples who decided to hire through agencies would enjoy the benefit of having part of the process done for them as these companies handle background checks and compile applicants’ qualifications.

Meeting Face To Face

Another suggestion is for people to schedule an in-person meeting to get to know prospective nannies better and see how they interact with the children they would be caring for. It could also be an opportunity for moms and dads to ask more nitty-gritty questions about a candidate’s experience with specific child needs if their kid deals with health issues.

It is of utmost necessity if a parent is looking to hire someone they found on the Internet as Whitney did. While online interactions could give you an idea of who a person is, speaking with them face to face is a better way to gauge their trustworthiness.

All Their Bases Covered

Whitney and her husband went through all these recommendations before they officially hired Medema. After doing a background check on and contacting one of the nanny’s references, the Matneys nearly had all their bases covered.

Their final requirement was for Medema to come over and try out interacting with Raylee in her natural environment. The two of them played and spoke to each other during the visit. Seeing the nanny and their daughter take to each other, Whitney decided to hire her old classmate and welcomed her into their family home.

Busy Mom

With the arrangements for Raylee’s care settled, we bet Whitney let out a sigh of relief. Being a mother is already a full-time job in many ways. Mixing that with her law school workload without extra help would have been an almost impossible task.

Many students set aside two hours of study time for every hour they spend in class. Whitney had to make time for more, though, as she participated in several extracurricular activities while attending the University of Arkansas School of Law. She’s even won competitions and got notably awarded as the best oralist for her appellate brief.

Balancing Act

Whitney is among the many American mothers balancing multiple responsibilities in and out of the household. For example, about one-third of the US labor force is working mothers. On top of that, approximately 23.5 million of them care for children under the age of 18.

That said, it seems like nothing can get in the way of women when it comes to pursuing their dreams by attending university or earning a living, all while raising their children. Yet, they need any help they can get, whether it’s from nannies or daycare providers.

The Big Day Comes

Believing that Raylee is in safe hands, Whitney returned to school in another semester closer to finally becoming a lawyer. Knowing how law school can get, she was probably already mentally preparing herself for a busy couple of months that awaits her.

We can all understand if Whitney didn’t have many chances to worry about how Raylee was doing at home with her new nanny. She’d have new worries to think about after checking up on her daughter, though. Right away, she noticed that something was different about the little girl.

A Peculiar Shift

Looking back on Medema’s first day as Raylee’s nanny, Whitney remembered how her daughter immediately began screaming when she entered her bedroom. Seeing the girl crying and in distress bothered her. But in the end, Whitney chalked it up to Raylee just being tired or sick.

This peculiar shift in her behavior didn’t raise any alarms in the beginning. After all, the girl is practically still an infant and can be fussy at times. Her moodiness can also just be something that comes with her development into being a toddler.

A Time When Personality Develops

According to parenting experts, the first few years of a child’s life is when they start to develop a personality that would follow them into adulthood. Each kid is unique, with some being naturally quiet or laid-back, while others are even aggressive.

Usually, you can start telling whether a kid would grow up to be an introvert or extrovert by the time they reach their first birthday. The environment they’re raised in and the genes they inherit can heavily influence these outcomes. Recognizing a child’s personality could help their carers adjust their parenting style accordingly.

More Concerning Behavior

Something else seems to be going on in Raylee’s case, though. Two weeks after Medema started working in their household, she noticed how her daughter would scream and then cling to either her mom or dad whenever she sees her nanny arrive at their home for work.

That’s when Whitney’s motherly instincts kicked into overdrive. Concerned about her daughter’s behavior, she called a doctor to see whether something was wrong with the girl. However, the professional told her that these concerning observations were just Raylee’s anxieties over being separated from her mom and dad.

A Normal Phase Babies Go Through

You see, babies can equate their mom or dad leaving the room to a sudden loss of protection. It could cause them to panic as they prefer to be in a quiet and peaceful world. The introduction of new stimuli like a stranger can lead to distress.

On the brighter side of things, a child exhibiting signs of separation anxiety is a normal part of their development. It means that they are starting to realize that they are dependent on the people who care for them, including any family member or nanny.

Is This Just A Case Of Separation Anxiety?

Separation anxiety and a fear of strangers is usually observed in newborns that are around six months old up to three years old. Eventually, they would grow out of it. Besides, experiencing this phase can be seen as a sign that a child has successfully formed bonds with their carer.

While Raylee’s attachment to Whitney and Chris fits this explanation, her apparent fear of Medema is suspicious. The girl already showed she liked the nanny when they met. Why has she suddenly changed her mind over only a few weeks?

Something Isn’t Right Here

Putting together the other disturbing signs she’s observed, Whitney knew that something wasn’t right in this situation. She recalled Medema telling her that Raylee would take naps as long as four hours during the day. That is highly unusual for the girl who usually only took one-hour naps.

She suspected that the nanny might be secretly giving her daughter something like Benadryl to knock her out during the day. Whitney didn’t run with the idea right away, though, thinking that she was just being a crazy first-time mom. Still, she was right to have her suspicions.

A Disturbing Phenomenon

She may be new to parenting, but she’s aware of the danger of hiring a nanny. There have been several news stories showing carers who got caught abusing the children they were tasked to protect. Worse, this disturbing phenomenon isn’t limited to one place.

Several cases in California alone have been recorded. Similar events have also happened in states like Florida and New York. Fortunately, many of these cruel nannies got caught in the act on camera and rightfully punished for their actions. That said, could Raylee be a victim of the same kind of abuse as well?

Could It Be Happening To Us?

Whitney and her husband began to wonder if they also had a child abuse case right in their own home. From an outsider’s perspective, the answer might have been evident from the very beginning. However, people taking care of their first child can find it hard to interpret sudden changes in their child’s behavior.

What finally made things click for Whitney is noticing how clean her home has become since Medema started working there. The mom could only accomplish a few chores while also taking care of Raylee, but the nanny didn’t seem to struggle with cleaning the entire house at all.

Only One Way To Find Out

There was only one way to confirm the couple’s suspicions—install a surveillance camera and catch their nanny in the act. Over a month after hiring Medema, the Matney’s strategically placed a clock-radio type nanny cam in their living room.

When she resorted to this solution, Whitney was only hoping to see the nanny leaving Raylee in her bouncer for a little longer than natural. Nothing could have prepared her for the horrific things she would see when she checked the footage. Warning: Some of the following images may be too disturbing for some readers.

Off To A Bad Start

When Whitney checked the nanny cam, she noticed right away that it wasn’t in the same position where she originally left it. Seeing the device facing the wall made her heart leap in her throat.

It can only mean one thing. Medema could have discovered it and realized that she was being recorded without her knowledge. If that’s the case, the couple’s plans are already off to a bad start. It’s possible that the nanny turned the nanny cam around and continued to abuse Raylee, leaving the Matneys with no evidence.

Bracing Herself

Realizing what happened, Whitney was probably left on edge as she began reviewing the day’s recording. Medema would not have turned the nanny cam around if she had nothing to hide, right? Judging from her actions, she might be covering up her tracks.

And so, Whitney continued to watch the footage. We can imagine that she was torn between bracing herself for the worst and still wishing for her suspicions to be proven false for Raylee’s sake. That’s when she reached the part that would make any parent’s blood run cold.

Suspicions Confirmed

Staring right back at her was Medema. As it turns out, the baby-sitter did discover the device and began inspecting it closely. With her face right in the nanny cam’s lens, there was no doubt now that she did realize she was being watched.

While we don’t know whether Medema has nannied for other families before, we can guess that she’s familiar with clients using similar devices to watch over their kids. Nanny cams are also pretty affordable these days, with some sold for as cheap as $20 on Amazon.

Caught In The Act

Browsing through more footage, Whitney saw Medema spanking Raylee. But that’s not the worst of it. She also witnessed her helpless child being shaken violently by the seemingly irritated nanny. The cruel woman even carried the girl as if she was nothing more than a rag doll.

Whitney was understandably angry at what she saw. Here is an old acquaintance whom she trusted with her daughter brazenly abusing her right in their own home. The shocked mom then began to worry that Raylee might have gotten seriously injured from the harrowing experience.

Shaken Baby Syndrome

It appears that Raylee was at risk for something called Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS). As its name implies, this kind of brain injury occurs when an infant is shaken violently, causing bleeding in the brain. It can worsen when the person shaking the infant throws them down after.

Newborns are particularly susceptible to this kind of injury due to their large and heavy heads that aren’t proportionate with their small bodies yet. Being shaken leads to the brain bouncing from side to side while inside the skull. In extreme cases, SBS can lead to death.

A Mother’s Worst Nightmare

In an interview with ABC, Whitney recalled what she felt seeing a mother’s worst nightmares come to life right before her eyes. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing and talked about how difficult it was to watch the video.

Medema would later explain that she and Raylee were just playing. The poor girl’s obvious tears that were captured in the video disprove this claim, though. You would agree, too, once you see the footage in its entirety and the somewhat irritated look on the nanny’s face during the incident.

Enduring Abuse

Whitney was able to confirm her suspicions that Medema was leaving Raylee in her bouncer for too long. She did so for two hours, in fact. According to the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), an infant should only be kept in the device for no more than 20 minutes at a time.

Knowing what she knows now, Whitney realized that her poor daughter was trying to tell her and her husband of the abuse she was enduring. With Raylee’s behavior changing right after Medema’s first day on the job, we can conclude that the girl has been suffering for over a month.

Fast To Act

Filled with unbelievable rage and fury at what she discovered, Whitney was able to act fast. She immediately informed the authorities of the abuse and rushed Raylee to the hospital. Her reaction was certainly justified given the possible complications of SBS.

While the girl didn’t have visible injuries, she may be susceptible to experiencing blindness, speech disorders, and seizures if she has physical trauma that’s left untreated. A police officer would, later on, commend Whitney’s actions. The cop said that she could’ve lost her child if the truth didn’t get uncovered right away.

Mom Played Her Cards Right

Whitney also played her cards right when she let the authorities deal with Medema. The nanny was apprehended by police just as she exited her car after arriving at the Matney residence for work two days after the discovery. Had she known she got caught beforehand, she might have made attempts to leave town.

Footage taken from inside the house implies that Whitney got to watch the cruel nanny get what was coming to her. Finally, she could rest a bit easier at night, knowing that her daughter’s abuser won’t be getting away with what she did.

Getting The Word Out

Following the traumatizing experience, Whitney admitted that she got racked by guilt. She felt like she could have done more to prevent a person like Medema from even getting close to her daughter. What’s more, she wished that she picked up on the warning signs of abuse when she first noticed them.

Fortunately, her informing the authorities exposed Medema and her crimes. In a way, Whitney prevented other children from falling victim to the nanny’s cruelty. With her name and face made public, families could avoid her if she chooses to continue her child care career.

A Warning To Other Parents

Whitney also seemed determined to get her story out to as many people as possible. Here she is during an interview with ABC sharing about what her family went through. The segment featuring the Matneys’ experience served as a warning to other families who might be dealing with something similar.

Looking at the pointers shared by the organization Prevent Child Abuse America, Raylee was showing several signs of abuse. There’s her sudden behavior change. Her distress and tendency to cower in the presence of her abuser is even more telling.

Lucky To Come Out Safe

Thankfully, after getting an MRI, it was determined that the poor Raylee didn’t incur any physical injuries from being shaken. She’s luckier than the 1,200 to 1,400 infants who reportedly die or get injured due to the same kind of abuse.

According to the National Center for Shaken Baby Syndrome, abusive head trauma is the leading cause of disability and death in infants and young children who suffer from abuse. Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice reports that only a small portion of reported abuse cases are by babysitters and carers.

The Verdict

Unfortunately, Raylee’s lack of physical injuries led to Medema being able to plead guilty to a lesser offense. The nanny ended up admitting to endangering the welfare of a minor. The crime is considered a class D felony in the state of Arkansas.

This classification implies that the guilty did not inflict any physical violence towards another person. If you’ve seen the nanny cam video, you’d also think that this was an understatement of what happened. The court ended up only sentencing Medema three months in jail plus three years of probation.

Horrifying Implications

As you can expect, Whitney thought that Medema got off easy for her offense. But the mother was more concerned about the horrifying implications of the nanny’s plea to benefit. Under Arkansas’ First Offender Act, a person can have their record expunged upon completing their probation.

Whitney’s research led her to the realization that Medema could one day erase what she did to Raylee from her record. It means that she could also continue to work as a nanny, and her future clients would never know of her previous crime.

Taking Matters Into Her Own Hands

Whitney described this possibility as “insane.” Calling Medema as a monster, she lamented the fact that her daughter’s abuser could go on living without many ramifications after completing her sentence. And so, she decided to take matters into her own hands and work to make changes happen.

As she thought of potential solutions to the problem at hand, an eye-opening realization hit her. Other criminal offenders in the US have their names compiled in an accessible online registry where people can easily verify their identity. Why not have something similar for child abusers?

Lawyer In Action

About two years after catching Medema, Whitney was able to pass the Arkansas Bar and began her career as a lawyer. Knowledgeable in the legal field, she sought the help of local lawmakers in coming up with a solution to help families filter out abusive nannies.

Whitney’s plan pushed a bill that would make improvements on the state’s already existing abuser registry. Since her expertise was in other legal areas such as insurance claims and breach of contracts, she got in touch with Senator Jon Woods and Representative Greg Leding.

Motivating Other People

Speaking in a 2014 interview, Whitney shared with ABC that she and the lawmakers planned on sending the bill out in 2015. She hoped that seeing this act passed would motivate people in other states to work with their representatives to follow suit in creating registries.

It’s worth noting that, according to the Children’s Bureau, most states already have laws that led to the creation of statewide central registries that compile child maltreatment records. The downside is that these are typically only accessible to child protection agencies, and sometimes, employers.

Whitney’s Crusade

Meanwhile, Whitney also started an online petition to support her crusade in having a publicly accessible database where people who have abused children are listed. The appeal only got about 336 signatures, which is short of its goal of getting a thousand.

Luckily, the airtime her story got thanks to ABC was more than enough to get her message to the right people. In a 2014 Facebook post, she shared that a senator from Hawaii has contacted her to tell her that they were interested in implementing a similar registry to what she was fighting for.

A Helpful Tool

Even though we didn’t find the exact copy of the bill she filed on the Arkansas State Legislature website, we found a 2018 report about something called the Maltreatment Registry. This database, maintained by the state’s Department of Human Services, ensures that child abusers won’t get jobs that allow them to work around kids without question.

The registry has proven to be a helpful tool not just for schools but also court-appointed advocates. Being listed there also disqualifies people from working in some school districts, according to Superintendent Michael Cox.

Averting Tragedy

However, it seems like more work is needed to let people know that such a registry exists. Some Arkansas parents said that they didn’t even know about this database that could help them avoid abusive nannies and avert a tragedy in the future.

It would also help make it easier for people to do criminal background checks on potential babysitters and carers before hiring them. Now, important information is just one request and a few clicks away. Families can already catch abusers even without resorting to using a nanny cam.

There’s A Catch

But like many good things, the Maltreatment Registry comes with a catch. Offenders can eventually have their names removed from the list. It could happen when they go a year without repeating their actions and as long as their initial offense didn’t lead to a severe injury or death.

Whitney could rest assured in the fact that she’s done enough to leave an online paper trail of Medema’s crime. Searching her name on Google turns up news articles talking about Raylee’s abuse along with photos of Medema. As long as people do their research, the nanny won’t be receiving a paycheck from another family again.

Why Did She Do It?

After everything that happened, we still have one pertinent question about the situation. Why did Medema do it? Something must have gone completely wrong with her for her to treat little Raylee the way she did. We may never get a direct explanation from her, though, as she refused to talk to the press.

For now, we can only surmise that her actions could have been prompted by her lacking parenting skills or her going through a similar form of abuse during her childhood. It could also be possible that she has a mental illness that causes her to turn violent.

What Really Matters

Whatever Medema’s reasons were, what matters now is that Raylee escaped her clutches healthy and safe. If things took a different turn, the girl could not have only suffered physically but even mentally, given the kind of trauma she went through early in life.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who experience corporal punishment such as spanking are at risk of becoming more aggressive, unlike those who were disciplined. The organization also mentioned the high possibility that these kids would develop mental health issues as time goes on.

An Update On Raylee

During the Matneys’ last update in 2014, they described Raylee as a happy three-year-old girl. She still lives in Springdale, Arkansas, with her mom and dad. The girl, who turned nine years old as of 2020, is likely in her fourth grade and thriving with her loving family.

Raylee is often seen in the photos that Whitney shares on her Facebook account, playing with a variety of animals. The mother and daughter appear to own a couple of pet goats and regularly visit their local dog shelter to play with pups.

Someone She Can Depend On

It’s heartwarming to see Raylee doing well today after seeing her go through such a horrible experience. And while Whitney may still feel some guilt about not acting sooner in the past, we commend her for ensuring that she’s someone her daughter can depend on in a time of need.

We bet Raylee would one day be proud of how hard her mother fought for her safety. What’s more, Whitney serves as a fantastic role model for the girl to look up to as she grows up. Her mother’s influence is already apparent, knowing Raylee’s interests.

Duo On A Mission

The mother-daughter duo is active in helping a no-kill animal shelter in Madison County, Arkansas. They even helped the organization raise money in 2019 when they participated in a fundraiser to build new kennels for pets waiting to be adopted.

Whitney and Raylee ended up collecting $950 to benefit Paws and Claws Pet Shelter. As you can see, the girl seems to have inherited her mother’s drive to serve the community by taking action. Seeing this, we don’t doubt that Raylee would grow up to be an upstanding young woman.

The Story Continues To Circulate

Although the Matneys’ ordeal with Medema constitutes a dark time in their life, Whitney is still glad whenever their story is shared. In a 2016 post on Facebook, she reposted an article that covered Raylee’s case and said that it was good that it is still circulating.

The post gained some attention, with people expressing their anger about what happened. Many were glad that it is continuing to spread awareness years after the events. Two different women also shared that they saw Medema working at a fast-food restaurant and thought she looked familiar.

Share The Warning

You may think you can’t do much to prevent child abuse from happening, but even little gestures can help. Bringing attention to the Matneys’ story in your social circle could save a child from enduring what Raylee did.

So, whenever you see an article discussing it online like this one, don’t hesitate to share it on your social media accounts for good measure. Let it serve as a warning to all first-time moms and dads to be wary of the people they hire to care for their little ones. You might just save a life.