JAMES CITY COUNTY — A James City County resident has been charged with abuse and neglect of children, cruelty and injury to children, and operating a daycare program without a license after the death of a 4-month-old infant in August of last year.
According to James City County Police, indictments were obtained for 59-year-old Kimberly Henretty’s arrest through the Grand Jury. Henretty turned herself in to the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail on April 17, where she was initially denied bond. She appeared in court for a bond hearing on April 24, where the denial was upheld.
Police and EMS personnel responded to the 5000 block of Thomas Court in James City County on August 9 where a 4-month-old infant was in cardiac arrest while in the care of a private childcare center operated by Henretty. The infant was pronounced deceased on the scene by paramedics.
According to the Norfolk Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the infant’s cause of death was determined by to be Sudden Unexplained Infant Death — SUID.
At the time of the incident, police said it was discovered that 10 children, all under five years of age, were being cared for by Henretty.
The department conducted an investigation in collaboration with James City County Child Protective Services and the Virginia Department of Education’s Office of Child Care Health and Safety, it said, where it was discovered that Henretty was not licensed to operate the private childcare center out of her residence.
JCCPD Detective Gennie Bellas lead the investigation.
Alison Martin, a child abuse prosecutor from the County of Henrico, is leading the prosecution.
