The NYPD is trying to get an arrest warrant for the cruel city-funded babysitter caught on video beating two helpless Bronx boys with a belt – nearly a month after the family reported the heinous child abuse, law enforcement sources said Tuesday.
Cops have been actively looking for 24-year-old La’keysha Jackson, who was allegedly caught on video beating the crying children, 4 and 6, nearly 60 times inside the family’s Morrisania building on May 6, according to the sources.
As recently as Tuesday, officers tried to locate Jackson but she was nowhere to be found and could not be apprehended, the sources said.
The NYPD is trying to get an arrest warrant for La’keysha Jackson, 24, caught on video beating two young boys with a belt. Courtesy Daniel Szalkiewicz
Jackson allegedly beat the older boys, 4 and 6, with a belt because they did not clean their room, sources said. Courtesy Daniel SzalkiewiczIf an arrest warrant is issued when a grand jury convenes on Wednesday, then cops can forcibly enter Jackson’s apartment and take her into custody, according to the sources.
The footage obtained by The Post of the heartbreaking scene shows the callous caretaker whipping the underwear-clad children’s behinds and restraining their tiny arms as they try in vain to deflect the blows.
“Guess what’s about to happen?” she can be heard saying, apparently upset that the two older kids, aged 4 and 6, did not clean up their room.
“Belt?” one of the young boys answers as Jackson, wearing a T-shirt with the words “Heaven Sent,” pulls a thick brown belt out of a cross-body bag.
“You’re right — I warned y’all,” she replies cheerily, chillingly adding: “Drop ‘em.”
Police have tried but so far failed to track down Jackson (pictured), the sources said. Facebook / Lakeysha JacksonAnother clip shows the babysitter bizarrely wore a grotesque Halloween mask from gory slasher flick “Terrifier II” and a Santa Claus outfit to apparently frighten the children, footage shows.
The youngest boy, 2, was also a victim of Jackson’s abuse, according to the family.
“Hitting the kids with the [clothes] hangers, hitting them with belts, throwing the baby,” recounted their mother, Geraldine Jaramillo, who also claimed that the babysitter doled out emotional and verbal abuse to the children.
Jackson was employed by home aid provider Selfhelp, contracted by the troubled ACS, through its homemaking program that provides struggling city families with a babysitter to help with caretaking, according to Jaramillo and documentation shared with The Post.
Jackson also apparently dressed in a grotesque Halloween mask and a Santa Claus outfit to scare the poor kids, video shows. Courtesy Daniel SzalkiewiczAn ACS spokesperson said that Jackson no longer works for Selfhelp and that ACS was working with the NYPD in its investigation.
“We are taking these despicable actions very seriously, and we have commenced a review of the contracted provider’s procedures,” the rep said.
A Selfhelp spokesperson confirmed that Jackson had been terminated and that the company is fully cooperating with the NYPD, claiming that it performs drug testing and background checks on all their workers.
The children’s mother, Geraldine Jaramillo, said her boys are now traumatized and more aggressive with each other. Stephen YangThe traumatized kids have since become intensely aggressive with each other, according to their mom.
“I really want to get to the bottom of this,” Jaramillo said. “Just seeing them — it’s like they are completely different kids. They are going through a lot. They may not verbalize it, but they are.”
