A daycare worker in Wisconsin has been arrested and charged after allegedly breaking the arm of a 3-month-old baby, authorities said.
Ashley Karschnick, 32, faces one felony count of child abuse — recklessly causing harm in connection with an incident at Lily Pad Day Care in Fond du Lac, according to a criminal complaint cited by WBAY, WLUK Fox 11, and NBC affiliate WGBA-TV.
On Oct. 13, Fond du Lac police responded to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee following a report of a baby with a broken arm, the Fond du Lac Police Department said in a statement. The injury was reportedly discovered after the child was picked up early from daycare.
“Following a thorough investigation, which included multiple interviews and an extensive review of surveillance footage, FDLPD Detectives arrested Ashley Karschnick (32), a caretaker at Lily Pad Day Care, on October 20, 2025, for her suspected involvement in causing the injury,” the police statement said.
According to the criminal complaint obtained by WBAY, surveillance footage allegedly shows Karschnick picking up the infant and slamming the child into a crib. Investigators also claim she appeared “more and more frustrated” as the day went on.
“It did not appear that Ashley slammed Victim 1 down as hard as she could, but it was with enough force where you can see the side of the crib rock side to side and you can hear [a] thump from the impact on the mattress,” the complaint alleges, per WLUK Fox 11.
Minutes later, the footage reportedly shows Karschnick swaddling the baby and taking her out of the crib, though the infant continues crying and her arm appears limp, according to WBAY’s report.
A medical evaluation cited by WLUK Fox 11 states the baby’s “humerus fracture is consistent with inflicted trauma and child physical abuse.”
Karschnick, arrested on Oct. 20, has denied the allegations.
Her defense attorney, Daniel Kaminsky, said the surveillance video “shows Ashley to be caring, soothing, and concerned with this child. At no point does it show her conduct to be criminal or abusive,” and called the reporting officer’s description of the footage “outright false.”
“She attempts to comfort the child gently in her arms, feed the child, and change the child’s diaper — all the things any parent knows one attempts when a child is crying and the reason is not apparent,” Kaminsky said.
“After the child took a nap and appeared still upset and sensitive to touch on her arm, it is Ashley that insisted the parents be called so that the child could be checked by a doctor,” he added. “These are not the actions of a person who believes they had themselves harmed the child.”
Online court records show Karschnick posted a $2,500 bond on Oct. 21. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 28. She was ordered to have no contact with children under 12, except for her own. It’s not clear whether she has entered a plea.
“The safety and well-being of our community’s children will always be our highest priority,” Lieutenant Nick Hahn said in the police statement. “We understand how deeply troubling cases like this are, and we remain committed to thorough investigations, transparency, and accountability.”
Authorities ask anyone with information about the incident to contact Fond du Lac Police Detective Chris Deering at (920) 322-3723, cdeering@fdl.wi.gov, or the Crime Alert line at (920) 322-3740. Callers can request anonymity.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline operates 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
