Babysitter accused of abusing 6-month-old North Texas girl

A babysitter has been charged with felony child abuse after accusations she hurt an infant she was looking after.

Crandall police said Tiffani Degroot admitted she slapped the 6-month-girl. In the incident report, Degroot told police she lost it and hit the baby -- adding that she "probably hit her pretty hard."

Parker Stroman is now temporarily spending weekdays with her aunt, after Degroot allegedly slapped the young girl across the face.

Parker's aunt rushed to pick up Parker last week after she got a call from her sister-in-law saying something was wrong and she couldn't leave work. The aunt arrived at babysitter Tiffani Degroot's home to find Parker's face puffy and red.

"I said 'What were you thinking?' and she said she wasn't -- she apologized several times," the aunt said. "I immediately called the paramedics because I had no clue if she'd been shaken, how hard she had been hit, if she had suffered anything to the head."

Parker's aunt also called Crandall police. Chief Billy Kilgore says Degroot admitted to striking the child, but said she was remorseful.

"Said that she was going through a lot of personal issues, financial problems, things of that sort," Kilgore said.

Parker's aunt said the family found Degroot through a mutual friend who recommended her. Degroot had babysat for the friend before, so Parker's mom thought she'd be safe in her care. Now she's not sure who she can trust.

"She's skeptical about where she's going to take my niece from here on out," the aunt said.

Degroot did not respond to attempts for an interview from FOX4.