ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. – A Macomb County child care worker is facing several charges for the alleged child abuse of a 10-month-old infant in her care, officials said.
Samantha Franz was charged with second-degree child abuse and fourth-degree child abuse, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office. She faces up to 10 years in prison on the second-degree count.
The charges come after a co-worker allegedly saw Franz being “excessively rough” with the 10-month-old.
After that, video footage from March 31, 2025, through April 1, 2025, was reviewed, and showed “aggressive, forceful, rough, and abusive behavior by Franz upon the crying infant, which resulted in bruises to the infant’s arms,” according to the release. No other information about where this happened has been released.
The St. Clair Shores Police Department was immediately contacted, and the case was presented to the prosecutor’s office after an investigation.
Franz was arraigned and given a $5,000 personal bond.
She is scheduled to be in court for a probable cause conference on May 9 and a preliminary examination on May 20.
“The safety and well-being of our children is our absolute top priority. These charges reflect our commitment to holding offenders accountable, and ensuring justice for our most vulnerable members, their families, and the community as a whole,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.