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Murder charges mystify friends of day-care worker
Carpentersville woman is accused of fatally injuring 16-month-old at Lincolnshire facility

By Sara Olkon and James Janega | Tribune reporters
January 19, 2009

People who know Melissa Calusinski said Sunday that they could not understand how someone who had worked with children for years could have lost her composure so tragically that, police say, she killed a toddler in frustration.

A teacher's assistant at a day-care center in Lincolnshire, Calusinski, 22, of Carpentersville had cared for older children "as long as I can remember," said Brittany Baker, who said she has known Calusinski for 10 years.

"She loved kids," Baker said. "As far as I knew, she liked everybody she worked with."

But police say Calusinski got so angry last Wednesday she threw 16-month-old Benjamin Kingan to the floor, fatally injuring him. She was charged over the weekend with two counts of first-degree murder and ordered held in lieu of $5 million bail.

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Daycare worker charged with infant's killing

As Benjamin's family on Sunday completed funeral arrangements for the boy, Matt Walsh, an attorney for the Minee Subee in the Park day-care center, said Calusinski and another employee in the room that day were suspended pending an investigation by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The other employee was not a suspect in the criminal inquiry, authorities said.

A criminal background check turned up nothing when Minee Subee hired Calusinski a year ago at a northwest suburban location, Walsh said. The woman later transferred to the branch in Lincolnshire. The center will be open Monday, he added.

"The main focus at this point is to reassure parents that this is a safe facility to bring their children to," Walsh said.

Police said Calusinski threw the boy to the floor when she grew frustrated that he was being noisy. His skull fractured, Benjamin grabbed his blanket and crawled to his "comfort zone," a bouncer seat, where he collapsed and later died, police said.

Officials said Calusinski originally told them the child fell, but changed her story when autopsy evidence showed injuries more consistent with a one- or two-story fall.

"It's not at all the person I know," said Jason Strackany, 22, of Elgin, a childhood friend of Calusinski. "I really think there has to be more to this story."

Part of it played out on Calusinski's MySpace page, which was decorated with lipstick kisses, music and the nickname "Polish Princess."

Benjamin's visitation has been set for 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Kolssak Funeral Home, 189 S. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling. The funeral service is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday.


i hate this crap

Oh gosh, that brings tears to my eyes. I couldn't imagine what that baby must have felt like after he crawled back to his little place of comfort. Makes me wish I could have been there to help him. I feel so bad for the parents.

having my own child i am irate i hope she gets eaten by dogs

That is horrible.


Poor baby.


Is there a place we can send donations to the family?

i cant find anything im sry

My son goes to daycare, I don't know what I would do if something like this were to happen to him. I would probably wind up in prison myself for killing the person that hurt my child.

i would kill everybody in the daycare where were the other workers when this is going on why didn't someone relive her of her duties when she was starting to get upset

I would rather give up my job and take care of my own kids than to let someone in daycare watch my child. You just have to know people really well. That's sad.

I wish I could do that.

thats why im a stay at home mom and only let my mom watch my baby

Well I'm doing it all alone. No family around to watch my son. I have no choice but to work and keep him at daycare.

That is terrible... as a babysitter, I would never even think about doing such a thing.

Imagining myself hurt a helpless, small baby unable to defend itself makes me want to cry.

...If anyone finds a place to send donations to the family, please post a link. =/