A police body cam video captures a harrowing moment when a distraught mother in Illinois learns that her 10-month-old daughter has died while under the watch of a babysitter.
The tense footage shows Branda Nichelle, visibly panicked, rushing into a Pekin home as officers were conducting their investigation following the discovery of her daughter, Sylvie Zakovic, unresponsive in her crib in June 2024.
“Is she breathing?” Nichelle asked urgently, while the 22-year-old babysitter, Makena Rhodes, attempted to console her.
Shortly after, a paramedic delivered the devastating news to the grieving mother.
“Oh, my god,” Nichelle cried, trembling and collapsing in despair as she processed the heartbreaking reality.
Officers were seen escorting Nichelle to the hospital where, while Sylvie was not officially declared dead, there were discussions about the potential that she might have suffocated due to a blanket.
Rhodes and her boyfriend, who was also helping care for the mother of four, were questioned separately by police. Each indicated that the baby was “noisy” when put down for a nap.
In footage released by police, the boyfriend claimed he had never seen Sylvie, and mentioned that Rhodes had texted him during the interrogation, advising him on what to say.
“It sounds like you’re trying to align your stories,” one female officer remarked to Rhodes, sounding concerned.
Given the situation, the officer questioned why Rhodes seemed preoccupied with ensuring her narrative matched that of her boyfriend.
Police seized both phones and uncovered messages between the two, with him expressing hesitation to lie to authorities on behalf of Rhodes.
In July 2024, Rhodes was arrested and charged with first-degree murder after a forensic pathologist determined that choking was the cause of the baby’s death. Her boyfriend has not faced charges.
Court documents allege that Rhodes admitted to pushing a small “love” blanket against the baby’s face. Police records indicate that Rhodes exhibited troubling behavior after struggling multiple times to get the baby to sleep on June 26, 2024.
If convicted, she could face a sentence of up to 100 years, with her trial set to commence in October.
