Day-care operator accused of shaking boy

A Lake in the Hills day-care operator is facing a pair of felony charges -- and up to 30 years in prison -- after authorities Wednesday charged her with violently shaking a 1-year-old boy in her care, causing a brain injury and retinal bleeding.

Heather C. Kierl, 35, 5534 McKenzie, is charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a child in connection with accusations that surfaced in May, when the boy was undergoing treatment at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago.

Kierl was arrested at her home just before 6 p.m. Wednesday, said Mary Frake, chief of support services for Lake in the Hills police.

Her attorney, Stephen M. Komie, was not available for comment.

Lake in the Hills police began investigating Kierl on May 19, after hospital staff contacted the department regarding injuries the boy had suffered that were consistent with shaken baby syndrome.

Since then, police conducted numerous interviews with witnesses and with Kierl and gathered medical evidence leading to the filing of charges Wednesday, Frake said.

The charges stem from incidents April 18 and May 11 in which Kierl is accused of shaking the Crystal Lake boy.

At the time, Kierl was licensed to operate a home-based day-care center through the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. That license was suspended, Frake said, shortly after the investigation began in May.

Kierl was to be held at the McHenry County jail until a judge sets bond and schedules a first court date. The charges against her are Class X felonies punishable by a minimum six and maximum 30 years behind bars if she is found guilty.