(WWJ) -- A St. Clair Shores woman was convicted on child abuse charges related to a baby that she was caring for.
The Macomb County Prosecutor announced the conviction of 31-year-old Samantha Franz on Friday. She was convicted on one charge of child abuse second degree, a 10-year felony, and child abuse fourth degree, a one-year misdemeanor.
Franz worked as a childcare provider when authorities said she was abusive toward a 10-month-old girl. A co-worker said they saw her handle the child with “excessive force,” leading to a review of video recordings from inside the facility.
The footage showed “repeated acts of aggressive and abusive conduct toward the crying infant.,” according to the press release from the Prosecutor's Office. These acts included swinging the child, carrying her by the arms and dropping her into her crib. Franz was also shown shoving a pacifier into the baby’s mouth on several occasions.
“It is truly unimaginable that anyone would inflict harm on a defenseless infant,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said. “This case is a painful reminder of the profound responsibility we all share to protect the most vulnerable among us. I extend my sincere appreciation to the members of the jury for their careful attention, their commitment to the facts and their faithful adherence to the law in reaching a just verdict in this matter.”
Franz is expected to be sentenced on Jan. 15, 2026.