KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasMake Sure Your Children Are in Safe Hands

Make Sure Your Children Are in Safe Hands

(Jan. 4) -- A 3-month-old Henderson baby remains hospitalized after police say he was shaken and hit by his nanny. Eyewitness News spoke with Ryan's mother at UMC Tuesday.

Paula Kuckler says her son Ryan is in good condition and expected to be released soon. And she says Ryan will not suffer any blindness as a result of his injuries. But Ryan's story has sparked concern among parents who want to know what more can they do to make sure their children are safe in the hands of a professional caretaker.

The parents of Ryan Kuckler say they never thought their son would fall victim to abuse at the hands of their live-in nanny. After all, she'd been hired through a professional agency that claims to thoroughly screen and check all the employees it refers.

James Ash said, "You can never be too careful." Jim Ash is a licensed private investigator doing business for 20 years here in southern Nevada. He recommends parents have their own background check done even if they're using a professional referral agency.

"But even doing that is no sure-fire thing. Something can always happen. Somebody can always snap, which has happened countless times," Ash stated.

But Ash says background checks, especially in a city as transient as Las Vegas, are essential. Start by personally interviewing your candidate, having them fill out a formal application in their own handwriting and then have them sign a consent form giving you permission to check their background.

Ash warns, "And on that app (application) make sure you get their social security number, date of birth, every state they've worked or lived in and their addresses."

Ash says a good licensed detective will not only check a candidate's DMV and law enforcement records in every state they've lived in, they'll also check the courts, character references, even talk to their neighbors.

"Ask them if they hear a lot of yelling and screaming. Ask them to tell us about their character." And Ash warns even if a background check turns up nothing always remain vigilant. "Maybe come home early in the day for a surprise visit, not just once but several times at various times -- in the morning, early afternoon, late afternoon, just to make sure everything is proper."

Other security options include installing a hidden nanny-cam to watch what's going on inside your home when you're not there.

Meanwhile, 24-year-old Bethany Ford is charged with felony child abuse in the case involving Ryan Kuckler.

The average cost of a background check is $350. But before you hire a private investigator, make sure they are licensed by the private detectives licensing board through the State of Nevada's Attorney General's office.